“The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2nd Corinthians 5:17) Grace Place has always prided itself on being a ministry and health center focused on transformation rather than transaction. As Christians, we understand that witnessing the transformation of an individual is a rare privilege. Like Paul and Apollos, we often play the roles of planting or watering seeds but the growth is left to God and usually occurs over time. As a donor, you might wonder, “I give monthly or through Steps For Life. I give at Banquet or through Heartbeats. Do these funds actually make a difference? Am I doing anything?” Our staff shares similar thoughts daily: “Am I helping? Am I changing lives? Is this worth it?” Often, we must proceed in faith, trusting that our planting and watering will lead to God’s growth.
Every so often, we are blessed to witness transformation. I want to share with you the story of Josh and Rachel through this lens. They came to Grace Place seeking confirmation of a potential unplanned pregnancy. Coming from broken homes where drug addiction was the norm, they had only seen parenting and life from a failed perspective. Both lacked role models, described their faith as agnostic at best, and were facing personal demons of addiction, incarceration, and illiteracy.
Despite their challenges, Josh and Rachel displayed deep love and care for each other. As they navigated their pregnancy, they enrolled in the Grace Place parenting program. This program not only equipped them with parenting skills but also opened their hearts to transformation through Christ.
For two years, Josh and Rachel met weekly with our client advocates, discussing what it meant to be parents, partners, and followers of Jesus. Our staff was committed to their growth, supporting them through illnesses, busy days, hard conversations, and challenging truths the world had ingrained. They completed our entire parenting curriculum and welcomed a beautiful baby girl into their lives. The transformation was tremendous; they were nearly unrecognizable from the first day they walked through our doors.
Josh and Rachel began attending church regularly as a family and ultimately committed to marriage. They vowed to be the parents they never had, ensuring their daughter would grow up differently. They still keep in regular contact with their client advocates and are a beautiful family chasing the Lord.
Transformation is the goal of Grace Place Family Health Center. When clients enter our doors, we want them to know they have already been prayed for and that they are loved. Our services are available at no cost, partly because of your generosity as a donor, but also to remove financial roadblocks to change. Grace Place is not a place for clients to come and take; it is an introduction and reflection of Christ’s love. And we all know how truly life-changing an experience like that can be.
Wyatt