Stories of Hope Archives - Page 3 of 9

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You can be a compass for youth

It has been said that the world can be “a playground with no adult supervision.” Have you ever been in danger and didn’t know it at the time? How important is emotional security and safety, especially for youth? A child is often unaware of the pitfalls, temptations, and lurking evils of this age. The…

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Mentoring: Making it personal

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” — Winston Churchill At the end of your life, what do you want your legacy to be? Will you be known for your style of dress, your work ethic, or how you spent your time? Perhaps these…

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Mentoring during Covid-19: Here we go again

Whether you have had a mentoring relationship with a youth for many years or are just now considering beginning a mentor, the question of how to proceed safely amid the pandemic uncertainty is still a huge consideration. The summer provided a short break as the number of cases was down, and we were able…

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Mentoring for Christ’s sake: Is God Calling Me?

There is no shortage of mentoring groups that highlight positive living and civic role models for young people. We see those mentors who tutor and hold career-building sessions and workshops. Community organizations can even instill a sense of empathy and kindness in youth through service projects and worldly incentives. While these all encourage character-building…

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Demetrius: A job now – a career soon

JobsPlus from City Gospel Mission visited my high school last August when I was a senior. They went over opportunities and talked about the importance of dressing for jobs you want and what skills you have to know in the workplace. The program director, Mike Hill, is very charismatic. Later, he checked up on…

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A family 1st: Alinson goes to college

Eight years ago, a death in the family affected Alinson deeply. City Gospel Mission came into her life at that point and has helped her find comfort in community. I started at City Gospel Mission when I was around 10. It was kind of complicated because of everything that was happening in my life.…

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Ariel: ‘God has truly restored me’

I’ve been with the Having the Courage to Change women’s recovery program a little over 2 years. The staff definitely challenged me, every day. I’ve had some really tough times. They loved on me in ways that I’ve never been loved on before. And it was a tough love. It was something that I needed.…

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A word from our president

September is National Recovery Month. For the past 25 years, we have been serving those suffering from addiction and other life-controlling issues in our recovery programs. Our programs are unique because they are long-term residential and are faith-based. The average stay is 12-24 months, although they are not time-oriented but are goal-oriented. There is…

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Rodney: ‘I’m at the highest point I’ve ever been’

I first came to City Gospel Mission in December 2019 when I was 21, because I needed someplace to sleep and bathe. I was at the lowest point of my life. I felt embarrassed to be in a shelter. But I knew I was better than my situation. I had my child’s mother bring…

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Mentoring and discipleship

“Consult God’s instruction and the testimony of warning. If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.” – Isaiah 8:20 NIV Mentoring works well in the Christian faith, because the concepts represent a foundational principle of discipleship. Disciples understand that we learn to become more like Christ, and…