Reconnecting with God – Marian’s Story

Marian Williams received an unusual birthday present on March 1, 2023, when she became a guest at the Mission. Her husband of 36 years had passed away, and she and her son had moved to Florida from Virginia to get a new start in life. They were living in motels and could not make ends meet. “As a mother, you want to be the one to fix everything,” she said, “but I just couldn’t find a way out. I was in a dark place, in turmoil.” One night the thought came to her, “Why don’t you call your pastor?” Her pastor started making phone calls, and Marian ended up at the Mission. “I was terrified. I didn’t know what to expect, but when I walked through that door, I stopped and looked around and felt a peace that everything was going to be okay.” In the Victorious Life Class, she reconnected with her faith and rededicated her life to the Lord. “I got back on the right path,” she said. “Even though I had been raised in the church, the daughter of a minister, those words of confirmation from the Bible needed to be heard again, and their application began to rise in my spirit and grasp it like a deer wanting water. I learned I can forgive myself and others who hurt me.” Her case manager, Jeannine, helped, listening and offering biblical advice. “She didn’t rush me,” Marian said. “She gave me time to heal.” In the personal finance class, Marian learned budgeting, the importance of saving, and how to spend money responsibly. She has a degree in education, so Marian served her discipleship in the Early Learning Center. She also worked as a caregiver and a case manager with an AARP associate program. She soon will begin a new job working with the Children’s Home Society of Central Florida. “I am incredibly thankful and grateful for the heart God has given to the donors to help others. And just seeing the faces of the volunteers makes me feel excited. If it wasn’t for you, where would our lives be? I am thankful for a clean bed and meals in the dining hall every day. I just can’t fathom where I would be today without the opportunity I have had to be at the Mission. It puts a smile on my face to wake up each morning and know where I am and that God has placed me here.”