“Glimmers” can be seen all through Portland Rescue Mission. Here’s a glimpse.
Portland Rescue Mission is about two things: giving hope and restoring life. For many of us that work here at the Mission, that comes in the form of what we refer to as “glimmer reports.” Simply put, “glimmer reports” are from those in our ministry who are in the trenches and working everyday with the men, women and children we have the privilege of serving on a regular basis. In this week’s version, those come via our New Life Ministries at both Shepherd’s Door and The Harbor.
Here’s a brief look at just some of the reports that are being passed along within Portland Rescue Mission:
A few weeks ago one of our moms was sharing with me she thought her relationship with her kids was better when she was using because she could laugh with them “back then”. She shared one thing she did notice about herself now though is that she is able to think more clearly. We prayed for her relationship with her kids to grow and for especially her young teen daughter’s anger.
This week she told me, “Prayer works!” She said she has been praying for her kids and their relationship with her – She said she signed them up for a Kids Event at church and she was shocked when her young teen daughter agreed to go and then even more shocked when she loved it. She said, “Now they all want to go to church with me. My daughter told me she likes it there because they talk about God in ways she can really understand!” Praise Him!
After a very rough goodbye from her first visit with her two sons since they were taken into state custody, a participant came into my office later that evening to talk about God. Earlier in the afternoon, she had been inconsolable, sinking into the dirt in the back garden and weeping. She decided that instead of running away, she wanted to attend church that night and to make choices that would carry her towards her boys. When she returned from church, she beamed as she talked about how good God is and how thankful she is for his presence in her life. She is very much looking forward to her next visit and further relational reconciliation with her children.
His sweet patience and kindness to lift us in the midst of our circumstances is so good.
God demonstrates His kindness to us in giving us comfort and peace. He provided some men who were together in a group today with a sense of connection around struggle. One man mentioned feeling more encouraged by knowing that others struggle as he does. He noticed he was not alone in thinking or responding the way he did. Another was highly encouraged after only having met together twice with the other men. This is God’s kindness to us when we are together in the Spirit.
This morning was talking with a Resident about the Broken Trust Cycle (Genesis Process). He described his own experience of the cycle including specifics of unmet needs, rage, wall of rejection, self-gratification, mistrustful, and including the reality that he never met his earthly father and how this total lack of fatherly love has impacted him for decades.
He also shared that he knows his Heavenly Father “will never leave me.” And he’s in the process of healing and growing into maturity as he experiences God’s love, which encourages him to risk loving God and others more and more.