Today, 22 year old Jess graduates and heads home.  These are her parting words, we thought we would share them......

"When I entered Mercy, I knew there was something different about it here; the staff were so loving and showed no judgement toward my past.  They saw straight past my attitudes and saw my identity in Christ.

 

Over time I began to understand God’s unconditional love and the power of the Cross! I experienced the Grace of God and love through staff and the teachings were equipping me with tools for life.

I found a new freedom in worship and started seeing myself how God saw me. I had space to pursue God and get too know him and the freedom to breakdown and not to have to worry about holding everything together. I found a release and got joy in exchange for the pain of my past; the eyes of my understanding have been opened and I have found a new hope!

Through the encouragement of staff and building my relationship with God I am now ready to spread my wings and share the good news of Christ with the world."

Jess, you are amazing and we love you......

A spotlight moment or a lifetime of shining…?

Psalm 37 has been a foundational verse to me since I was 14 years old.  This week one of the lines in it really hit home in a new way: ‘…He will make…the justice of your cause [shine] like the noonday sun’ (v6)

This scripture came to mind as I received an invitation to represent Mercy Ministries UK at an Easter reception hosted by the Prime Minister at Downing Street.  Sometimes God takes you by surprise and leads you through open doors and into arenas you could never have imagined.  Downing Street is such a door and as I crossed over that world famous threshold, I felt His smile and His encouragement to keep committing all our ways to Him.

During the reception, I not only had an opportunity to share with the Prime Minister the heart behind our work; he later referred to our conversation in his speech.  This is what he said:  ‘Just wandering around the room chatting to some of you, I was talking to a lady who runs very important residential clinics for young people who have been self-harming or indeed have eating disorders – a classic example of someone of faith who has a great belief in wanting to do good, in wanting to change the world and we should encourage those faith-based organisations into the solving of social problems’- The Rt Hon David Cameron MP, Prime Minister and Conservative Party Leader.

As we continue to provide opportunities for young women to experience God’s unconditional love, forgiveness and life transforming power, I believe that it’s the righteousness of our cause that will draw people to us.  Yes, some may object, others may feel that faith based organisations have little relevance to society as a whole but none of these things- positive or negative- can detract from the fact that we do what we do because it works. 

You can’t argue with a changed life, as proven by the words of one of our graduates, Cath:  "Since I left Mercy, I have learnt to put into practise all the tools I’d been equipped with from my stay at Mercy Ministries.  My life has spoken for me, of the change that has happened in me.  People can’t believe what an incredible difference there has been in me.  I am now confident and happy in my life- the girl who felt she was unlovable, now knows she is loved more than she ever dared believe was possible…”

Mercy Ministries UK like many Christian churches and ministries across this nation has a legitimate role to play, a clear voice to speak with and a big heart to love through, and whether we are applauded for it or criticised for it, we will continue to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves, to stand up for the rights of the destitute and to offer hope and mercy to those who seek it out.  We are here not because of a moment in the spotlight but because of a continuing commitment to shine for His glory.

Arianna Walker

Executive Director

Mercy Ministries UK

Welcome to the Mercy Ministries blog - we hope this finds you well?

Todays blog posting comes from one of our lovely Support Workers - Taryn is part of our team of dedicated women who work 24/7 across the week in our residential home.  Here is her insight into a shift at Mercy:

"Never does a day pass where I have not left a shift challenged and stirred to go deeper in God. Working as a Support Worker puts you constantly on the frontline of transformation, with a bird’s eye view of what God is doing in the lives of the residents of Mercy Ministries UK.

We cannot afford to approach a day not armoured up, empowered by prayer and led by grace, the residents are in a battle for their lives and loving them along the journey is crucial.

Just this week I came in on a shift feeling slightly fragile myself but standing on the Word of God knowing ‘He is faithful to his promises’ and ‘works all things to the good of those who love Him.’ Scriptures we all know well but don’t always get the opportunity to live them out. (Being a Mercy staff member brings plenty of these opportunities).  On numerous occasions, I have had to encourage a resident with the wisdom and faith God is growing in me.  Often standing in the gap and creatively communicating the heart of God to them so they can recognise His heart clearer as they allow the years of hurt to melt away. Today was one of those days.

I was working with a resident who was evidently fighting God’s love both spiritually and physically; the words God had only given me hours before came out my mouth: ‘Remember what God has promised you, hold on to the those promises, He is faithful to His promises and everything you have been through good and bad. God weaves it all together for good!’

Nothing can describe the moment of watching someone’s life being transformed by the love and the words of Love from the Lover. God is faithful and I pray where ever this blog may find you that you will be reminded of His faithfulness and the incredible work he is doing in your life.

With love,

Taryn"

PS.  If that has interested you, maybe you would consider becoming a support worker?  we have staff vacancies at the moment - check out www.mercyministries.co.uk for more information.

The adventure continues…

The decorations are down and back in the loft for another year, the chocolate tins only have the strawberry creams left in them and I don’t want to see another cheese biscuit for a very long time. Yes 2011 has had its festive conclusion…and what a year it was!

The official opening of the Mercy Ministries UK extension in May was a highlight for sure, as was our team successfully reaching the summit of Mt Kilimanjaro in October - raising nearly £90,000!   

The newly extended MMUK home

The Climb for Mercy team who climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in October

 

But the 23 young women who walked through the doors of Mercy Ministries UK last year accomplished the most significant achievement of 2011. They each took hold of the opportunity to experience God’s unconditional love, forgiveness and life transforming power and walked free from a destructive past into a constructive future.

 

One of them was Susan who says:

Before Mercy my life was hopeless and consumed by running from the pain of my past. Now I have a hope that never fades and I am running into the future that God has for me. I will never be the same!

And so now we look ahead to 2012.  January is a month of beginnings; of goals set and hopes raised for a new year, a new season, a new chapter.  This is particularly true for all of us at Mercy Ministries UK, as we look ahead to a year where our growth will take us to a level we have never been before.

I know without the countless individuals, churches, businesses and Trust Funds who faithfully supported us throughout 2011, we would not be here, able to plan for the future.  And so it is with immense gratitude that we plan to increase our current number of occupied beds from 13 to 22 over the course of the next few months. With a list of desperate young women waiting for a place at Mercy, there is an urgency to lengthen and strengthen our organisation on every level to be able to meet the need.

It will require faith, hard work and the continued support of many to reach that goal but I’m sure you’ll agree that the benefit outweighs the cost. Seeing lives transformed, hope restored, futures to be cherished instead of feared, is a joy that none of us involved will ever take for granted. 

Thank you to those who have walked the journey with us this far and welcome to those of you who are new to this adventure - hold on tight, it’s going to be a wild ride!

We pray you have a blessed 2012, in Jesus’ name.

Blessings,

Arianna Walker

Executive Director of Mercy Ministries UK

Merry Mercy Christmas

Christmas for many is a time filled with love, joy and great memories. Yet, for others, Christmas is a time that seems to magnify heartache until it is almost unbearable.  Unfortunately, the majority of the girls at Mercy Ministries UK find Christmas to be a difficult time - an intense reminder of the rejection and loneliness they have experienced in their lives.

It is our desire to restore the love and joy of the Christmas season and beyond.  Our 'Merry Mercy Christmas' campaign began on the 1st December and by raising £12,000 we will be able to offer a young woman the gift of a bed here at Mercy Ministries UK for 6 months in 2012. 

Already people have responded to the campaign and what has been such a blessing to the team here at MMUK is that many of those who have already given are former residents.  One of those former residents is Miriam.

"It was a few days before Christmas when I got the call from Mercy saying that there was a bed available and the date I could come. I have to say God timed it perfectly as I felt things were just getting very hard and felt like I was struggling. All I kept hearing was, "Just wait, your time will come". When I got the call and they said “Do you still want to come?” I screamed “Yes,” down the phone and when they offered me a place, the excitement was indescribable. After saying “Thank you”, which must of been about a million times, I text all of my friends and ran home to tell my family.

Mercy is the best thing that has ever happened to me. It allowed me to encounter an awesome, loving and healing God, and allowed me to actually have a life back where my security is in God and not on how I look, what I wear etc.

I graduated from Mercy on the 4th of August this year and now have a full time job, have been offered the opportunity to record my own CD, and have become a part of the worship team. I am running youth work alongside our youth leader, leading small groups and will soon be giving talks and teaching. I was also able to go to Africa for two weeks a week after I graduated which was amazing, and was blessed enough to give a talk at an African church. Praise God, who has restored my life to the full!
It was just before Christmas when I got my date. Best present in the world. I want to do the same for someone else" - Miriam

Miriam with Nancy Alcorn, President and Founder of Mercy Ministries International

Will you help us to give a girl like Miriam the best Christmas present she could hope for this year? f you would like to contribute to the gift of a place at Mercy for a young woman on our waiting list, please visit www.justgiving.com/MerryMercyChristmas or call 0044 (0)1535-642042 to give over the phone or to find out about other ways to make a donation.

Thank you for helping us to see more lives transformed and hope restored!

Miriam was offered a bed at MMUK this time last year and our Merry Mercy Christmas Campaign aims to offer the same gift to another young woman this Christmas. To understand how much this gift would mean to a young woman with life controlling issues who has applied to Mercy Ministries UK, Miriam would like to share some of her story with you: