Wednesday Warm Fuzzies

In need of some warm fuzzies this chilly Wednesday afternoon? Read these Cornerstone stories our staff was blessed to be a part of in November.

One of our single mothers is teaching her daughter how to avoid mistakes she made before they got into the program. She continues to say how thankful she is for Cornerstone and wants to give back by investing what she has learned in her daughter.

A young mother in our program has recently started a job that is within walking distance from her apartment. Her employer is willing to work around her school schedule and is very understanding when it comes to her child. She is now learning how to balance work, school and motherhood all at once. These skills will benefit her as she continues to go forward in her goal of self-sufficiency.

One of our mothers is watching her children excel academically. This family has overcome a lot since they have been in the program. It is encouraging to watch the effect it has had not only on the mother but the children as well.

This month, a man in our program decided he was willing to seek out counseling resources to recover from his grief over the death of a loved one. He was still angry with God and still has lots of questions. We had the chance to talk a lot about the comfort we can have if our loved ones are in heaven. Through that, I had the opportunity to share the Gospel with him. Please keep praying for him and his family.

A man in our program had to move out of his apartment due to maintenance issues. The apartment staff agreed to give him a first floor apartment and have their staff move his belongings to the new unit. We are currently working on partnering him with a church member to help fix his car. He is also looking to go back to school this spring.

A 9 year old daughter of one of our families had another severe meltdown due to a medication switch. She again wanted to harm herself and was rushed to the hospital where she spent another 5 days. She is attending a school where she will receive therapy for a large part of the day. The prayer request is that the doctors would be able to assist her and her parents in managing her medication and modifying her behavior. Both the child and parents are attending counseling sessions.

A mother of 7 underwent surgery to remove her gall bladder and right kidney. She lost a lot of blood, but she was able to receive enough blood to keep her healthy. She was released from the hospital and is recovering at home. The prayer for this family is that the recovery process would not be too long and she will be able to return to work in a timely fashion in order to support her family.

A single mother was able to acquire full-time employment in a position that allows her to use her automotive certification. She also took the Give Thanks, Give Back lesson to heart and has decided to have her children give away some of their toys and clothes and help another family out this Christmas. She does not wish them to take part in receiving gifts this year.

A single mother fell into depression after losing her job. She'd stated a couple years ago that if Jesus wanted her to follow Him, He would tap her on her shoulder and tell her so. During her most recent bout with depression, she said that she felt Jesus calling her to Himself and has had an insatiable appetite for His Word and fellowship. She has begun to consistently attend church and Bible studies and read her Bible at home. She said that her recent study of the Bible has helped her more than the medication the doctors wanted her to take.

A single mother of 7 has struggled with depression and feeling confident for many years. This month, her electricity was turned off because she did not manage her income properly. She felt ashamed and did not want anyone to know her family's situation. It was during this time that she turned back to God and began reading her Bible by candle light and having her children read with her consistently. Now that her electricity has been turned back on, she and her children continue reading the Bible as they did when they had no light. She has decided that she and her family have been blessed beyond measure and are not in need of gifts and things for Christmas. She and her children will volunteer at the shelter they were sent to prior to entering the program.