November ushers us into a season of thankfulness. We live in the busyness of life, but God wants us to live in the fullness of gratitude. He wants us to see His goodness, experience His grace, and receive the gifts of His Spirit so we can extend the fruits of His Spirit to others. Living with gratitude grows our generosity - we give God’s grace because we’ve gladly received His mercy. 

 

M was referred to Hope Women’s Center by DCS. She attended Rise Above Abuse and Holistic Parenting for weeks, never participating and often falling asleep in class. In spite of her apparent apathy, M was always welcomed and encouraged in typical Hope style. Within a few months, M began asking questions and opening up, sharing how she’d been teaching her fourteen-year-old daughter things she’d learned at Hope, like how to recognize manipulation and abuse, how to value herself and treat herself with grace, and how to expect respect from boys. The class shared in M’s gladness, cheering her on in her transformation process. M said, “My daughter may never have to experience abuse like I did.” 

 

Why is Hope so passionate about speaking the language of grace? Because grace is the language of the gospel. Showing, speaking, and teaching grace to our women promotes positive change in their hearts and in their families. Stories like M's prove that grace and gratitude are gifts that keep giving.