An Open Door to Share Gospel Hope

At New Mercies, we seek to help moms who are most vulnerable and most in need of supportive believers to come alongside them. This means our volunteers may not see all the positive changes that would be best in a mom’s situation. Instead of stepping back from hard relationships like these, we choose to press into the difficulty—because this is exactly where the Gospel is needed.

This was the case with a mom we'll call Ja’Ryah. One of our Family Coaches met Ja’Ryah when she was pregnant, living in a shelter, and interested in a hosting for her baby after she gave birth. The Family Coach was able to meet with Ja’Ryah frequently during her pregnancy, building trust and introducing her to prayer and truths about the Lord.

The Family Coach was even able to ask Ja’Ryah if she would like to do a Bible study together over the book of John. She and Ja’Ryah discussed their beliefs about God, and how Ja’Ryah thought she had to do something to be saved. Our Coach used Genesis 3 to explain to Ja’Ryah that Christianity does not depend on a person’s works. That God takes us back when we sin like the Father accepts the prodigal son because of Christ’s redemptive work on the cross.

This relationship based on Gospel truth helped the Family Coach remain connected to Ja’Ryah through some difficulties after her pregnancy. At one point, Ja’Ryah was going through a hard time, and some of her actions led to the potential of losing her living situation. As Ja’Ryah was looking unsuccessfully for somewhere else to stay, she received an unexpected bill for a significant amount of money. She was blindsided by the timing and consequences of the cost at a time when her housing was so uncertain. Because of the Family Coach’s months-long relationship with Ja’Ryah, she was able to lead Ja’Ryah through several Psalms and pray for her. She expressed that this seemed to help Ja’Ryah feel more peaceful.

Throughout this stressful time, the Family Coach continued to build their relationship through normal things like running errands together regularly. They always prayed together in the car after the errands were done. After one of these errand runs, Ja’Ryah asked to be prayed for without being prompted. She had to be dropped off quickly and wanted to make sure they could pray when they had time. The Family Coach felt a beautiful new openness in Ja’Ryah!

While Ja’Ryah’s problems are not resolved, she has experienced a relationship with a caring believer—a relationship formed through New Mercies. She has heard the Gospel consistently for the first time, and seeds have been planted!