Each month, we look back on the ministries of GateWay and praise God for the lives of women and how they are impacted by hope and encouragement. One example is Cassandra – not her real name, of course, because we want to protect her privacy and she would never think of promoting herself.

Cassandra came to us as a woman in trauma – severe abuse had colored her opinion of herself and mocked her trust in God. Through counseling, Cassandra became aware of the horrific lies she had been told. The truth of God’s love for her slowly helped her realize she didn’t have to live in the shadows or believe voices of condemnation. She could learn to accept herself as a much-beloved child of God.

As Cassandra began to trust again, she joined some of our support groups and classes. She learned to relate to other women and to receive their acceptance. She pondered the connection between body, mind and spirit while letting God sow the seeds of encouragement into her grieving soul. The women of GateWay encouraged Cassandra and welcomed her into their hearts. She continued meeting with her counselor and applied the group topics to her life.

Then Cassandra began to give back. She attended our volunteer training program and offered her skills and talents to help us with the many GateWay tasks. Although living on a tight budget and dealing with family crises, Cassandra managed to financially encourage GateWay with a monthly check. She told other women about the services that GateWay offers and helped us with a grant application. Even as she continued in counseling and groups, Cassandra found a way to keep the cycle going – to receive and to give.

At GateWay of Hope, we help restore women, equip and empower women to give back to their world. Cassandra is a perfect example of GateWay’s vision – to see women become all that God created them to be.