Category: Ministries

Jobs for Life: Kris' Story

6/24/2022

Kris battled addiction for most of his life, and he never stayed employed for long. At our Jobs for Life graduation last week, he shared how the class and working through New Leaf has helped him stay sober and employed. Watch Kris' story here:

When you give $25 you can help provide the class materials for a Jobs for Life student like Kris.

Support Jobs for Life

Jobs for Life: Lonnie's Story

6/2/2022

On June 2, a group of seven incarcerated men at the Warren County Regional Jail graduated from Jobs for Life. During the class, they learned Biblical principals and practical applications for employment to help them get and keep a job when they are released from jail. Lonnie shares how the class impacted his life:

"I wanted to find a better way of living and learn how to be a positive influence in my community when I get out of here. That's why I joined Jobs for Life, to get everything I could out of it. During the program, I experienced love. I've never been around a group of guys that take time out of their lives to come in and show us another way to live, introduce God to us, and show how that plays out in our lives. I've never had anyone do that, so it was a great experience.

We read the story of Jonah in our book. I've been running away from God my whole life. God's been trying to protect me, and I always ran away from Him. That's the story of Jonah. He ran, he didn't want to do God's word, even though he knew what God's word was. You know, I feel like I was in the fish, I feel like he spit me back out, and I still ignored God. This class brought to my attention that I've been doing that because I had never seen that story before. That showed so much light to me and let me know that I can do it, I can change my ways. I've just been running.

My plan is to use this class to take the step toward employment, to stay in contact with sober people, and allow this to grow in my life. I'll do volunteer work... wherever it goes. God only knows that."

Program Living: Jacob's Story

5/19/2022

Jacob graduated from Program Living for Men in January, 2022, after struggling with addiction and incarceration for 20 years. He started following Jesus while in jail, and he shared his testimony at the Program Living graduation in May. Watch the video to hear his story.

You can change the life of a resident like Jacob by supporting our Program Living ministry. When you sponsor a resident, you are helping to cover the cost of their programming and ensuring that we can continue providing this service.

Sponsor a Program Living Resident

2022 First Quarter Newsletter

2/1/2022

After another difficult year for our community, we are more grateful than ever for your continued support and the Lord’s provision for Hope House and those we serve. In many ways, we experienced great victories in 2021, including the completion of Program Living for Women, hundreds more trips to work provided by our Ready to Work Shuttle, the addition of a fatherhood class to our ministries, returning to the Warren County Regional Jail for Jobs for Life, our largest Affordable Christmas yet, and many Program Living for Men graduates, like Tyler, whose story you can read in this letter. However, this past year held many challenges, too. Regardless of difficult circumstances, we are confident of two things: the Lord is always faithful, and our community in Bowling Green is full of generous people who only become more generous with their time, talent, and treasure during hardship. We are humbled and encouraged by your support of our mission to alleviate physical and spiritual poverty through gospel restoration, and we pray the stories shared in this letter are an encouragement to you in return.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

It’s not too late to make a New Year’s resolution! What if you resolved to change lives this year? As big of a resolution as that may sound, it’s as simple as skipping a few cups of coffee or one meal at a restaurant each month to become a monthly donor. Even a $20 per month donation can go a long way toward changing lives through our ministries. The consistency of your monthly donation allows us to grow and adjust to meet the needs of our neighborhood. You can partner with us as a monthly donor by starting a recurring donation at www.hopehousebg.com/donate.

DISASTER RELIEF

Following the deadly storm in December, we began to partner with local agencies and school systems to serve those who were impacted. In partnership with the Green River Regional Educational Cooperative, we distributed toys from the Western Kentucky Toy Drive to those impacted in our region. Additionally, we have established a disaster relief fund, which will be used to meet housing and other long-term needs for those impacted in the months to come. Please join us in praying for those who were impacted as they begin to rebuild their lives.

MATT'S STORY

11/10/2021

Donate to support class participants like Matt:

donate

“In 2004, I received a 30 year sentence for methamphetamine and drug addiction, and I did six and half years in prison. For 40 years of my life, there was no hope. It was self-will run riot, drugs, and alcohol. That lifestyle has no hope. There’s no promise in it. There is death or prisons, and that’s about the only way out of that life.

Because of my drug addiction, my wife and I separated and divorced. Shortly after that I was incarcerated. Around four years after I was released, she wished me a happy birthday on Facebook Messenger. Within two weeks we were reconciled, but I still had no direction. She knew I needed to build a foundation on Christ. I know that God put Hope House in my path. I graduated from Jobs for Life in 2014 and Faith & Finances shortly after that. The classes not only gave me direction, but they gave me the foundation to build my life on.

That foundation is Christ-centered, and it’s helped me to set attainable goals. It’s helped me to develop a relationship with Christ, and through Christ, with my wife and strengthen that relationship tremendously. My personal relationships with friends and work associates have grown because they’ve seen something different in me that they respect. My wife and I started attending church on a regular basis. We joined a small group and became involved in church activities and started serving within the church. We started to be a part of the church instead of just attending on Sunday morning. Two years ago, my wife and I along with six other couples were led to plant a church. It has been amazing to see God's work through all of that.

In the seven years since I graduated from the classes at Hope House, I’ve worked about three jobs. I progressed from a construction job, to ironwork, to a maintenance position. I’m now lead maintenance where I work. Initially they didn’t hire felons. Now, some of the top positions in the factory are filled by people with a record, and we hire many from Hope House’s Program Living. I have had a chance to give back to my community and to Hope House. I feel really good about that and appreciate what Hope House has done for me.

If I had never come to Hope House and began my walk with Christ, I know my life would have been just like it had been for the previous 40 years. Nothing would have changed, and I would’ve gotten the same results. I would’ve been back in prison because the charges against me weren’t small things anymore. I had a record, and I had 18 years on the shelf. Now, my sentence is gone. I’ve gotten my rights restored, and I am a productive member of society and my community. My testimony shows God’s power to change people."