For most folks, faith is among the most important things in life. Without it, we lose our way. For those in recovery, whether from domestic violence, substance abuse or mental health issues, the need for faith may be even more powerful.
When Help End Abuse for Life (HEAL) first opened the Nest domestic violence shelter in 2007, it created a very cutting edge program assisting recovering residents to keep or regain their faith.
Faith Hour was the brain child of Deacon Bob Racicot, a long time HEAL board member, and HEAL’s Executive Director, Coleen Widell. In a nutshell, Faith Hour allowed residents at the Nest to visit with a faith leader in our community about their spiritual needs. For some women, they sought to reconnect to a faith they felt had abandoned them in the reality of domestic violence. For others, it was an exploration of different faiths, a “fill in the void” search. The Lincoln County & Mescalero Ministerial Alliance was the original partner with the Nest, sending a different pastor to the Nest each week for Faith Hour.
“When we first started Faith Hour, some folks said it would never work, that survivors would not be interesting in attending a spiritual meeting in a shelter. Deacon Bob and I knew differently. We understood many of the women felt abandoned by God – this is what they were telling us – so we pushed for the program with the Alliance. Not surprisingly to us, it has been a hugely popular and sustained program for the residents at the Nest,” said Widell.
The program is now organized and directed by Corina Montoya, a shelter advocate, and Julie Gilliland, secretary of the HEAL Board of Directors and minister with Church out of Church. True to its original form, Faith Hour is a voluntary, weekly group held at the Nest. Attendees are provided an opportunity to explore what it means to individually rediscover their self-worth, self-love and power through faith. It is not a lecture or classroom setting. Rather, it is a supportive environment led by Montoya and Gilliland, inviting residents to move forward in their faith as they heal from domestic violence.
Of the program, Julie Gilliland said, “I am so thankful to be able to go to Faith Hour and tell these women they have been courageous and have made brave choices and that there are people behind them and tools available for them. We get to go and encourage them. I want them to know that God is there for them and can help them get through it. I am so encouraged by what I hear them say and by who they are. I feel really blessed to be able to learn from them, too.”
From Faith Hour grew a demand for Recovery Bibles. The paperbacks provide supportive words and guidance on selected scripture verses specifically chosen for the needs of those in recovery, but also applicable to anybody. “I think we all have something we need to recover from. The Bibles apply to anything you may need to work on,” said Gilliland. Every month, the Bibles go like hotcakes when distributed at The Nest.
Church out of Church graciously provides unlimited Recovery Bibles to the residents of the Nest. Run by Tim and Julie Gilliland, Church out of Church is a ministry inspired by the acts of Jesus to be mobile and flexible, in the crowd, providing aid to humanity with love. They host weekly worship every Sunday at 10 AM at Flying J Ranch and are strong supporters of the Nest domestic violence shelter.
From the front page of the Recovery Bible comes this lesson:
“I prayed to the Lord, and He answered me.
He freed me from all my fears.
Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy,
no shadow of shame will darken their faces.”
Psalm 34:1-5
He freed me from all my fears.
Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy,
no shadow of shame will darken their faces.”
Psalm 34:1-5
For more information about HEAL, go to www.helpendabuseforlife.org.
