2023 April #1
By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF)
The majority of us have some kind of “vice” or “shortcoming” that we have a hard time letting go of:
- eating too much dessert, take-out, or junk food,
- staying up too late to finish a movie or a book on a work/school night,
- shopping until the bags are too heavy (or too many) to transport to the car,
- spending too much time with friends instead of family, or
- putting off the chores until they are overwhelming.
Those are just a few of the many that could be listed. However, we usually have a stopping place that we enforce on ourselves. We “draw a line in the sand” to indicate we will go no further. That internal boundary allows us to take a step back, reevaluate ourselves or the situation, and then make positive steps toward better choices.
We have a degree of control over the situation.
Then, there are the hardcore vices that move into the addiction category, like drugs, alcohol, sex, gambling, and others. Those are the harder ones to have control over. It’s possible, for sure…but it’s not an easy feat to overcome.
As we all know, there are times when our choices have caused us to “go down a rabbit hole” toward some pretty negative results.
Sometimes, spiraling out of control happens and a person’s future begins to look bleak.
For example, one of our male guests shared that he had made some bad choices, which led to homelessness. After a while, his homeless position caused him to reevaluate his life. He didn’t like what he saw, so he eagerly began to seek some place that would help him get back on the right track. As he was discussing his options with others, he was told about some positive aspects they had heard of, which came from a program at Joy Junction.
His goal was to find some kind of situation that would bring about a healthy way to have self-reflection and show him how to redirect his life. He knew he needed motivation to move forward, and he knew he didn’t have it in him to do it on his own. He wanted to be able to form some life goals that would allow him to begin dreaming of a future that had real meaning.
So, he contacted us and found that our Christ in Power Program offers life skills and a Bible study that walks a person through twelve steps of healing. He knew it would take a long time, (nine months, he was told) to complete the program. But, he was to the point in his life where he needed change, and this program had the potential to do just that.
He found his way to our shelter to start his life over, so to speak. After beginning the program, he said he found “positive vibes” in the atmosphere and people, as well as great support from the staff, so he was going to stay and complete the program.
Homelessness doesn’t have to last forever.
A bleak future can be turned into a dream come true, with hard work and serious intentions.
We truly want to help others transform their lives. When people arrive on our campus, they are given the opportunity to join our program. We work alongside them to provide support and encouragement as they put in daily effort toward their assignments, homework, and study time.
It’s a wonderful thing to watch when someone who was once distraught about their circumstance begins to wear a smile, knowing they have a bright future ahead
There really is a beautiful future for each person who chooses to make the decision to turn from their negative habits and begin moving toward positive changes.
We are here to help!
