2024 November #2
By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF)
Decisions, decisions…life is full of them. Every day, most of us have many choices to make.
Should we get up out of bed, or sleep a little longer?
Should we eat breakfast, or skip it?
Should we wear jeans, or dress up?
Should we follow our original plan for the day, or change it?
Decisions direct our paths. There is a reason why we are currently in the position we are in. A decision was made, one way or another, to get us here.
Sometimes, it’s the decision to be associated with a particular person. Maybe that person was the one who made the choice for a specific direction, but because we are involved with them, both of us wind up in a certain location or predicament… (physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually)
Sometimes, a well-intended decision causes more of an issue than planned. Maybe the plan was to drop out of school in order to take care of a family member, but after their passing or healing, there was no easy way to get back into the groove of schooling…
Sometimes, an unexpected job option comes out of nowhere and catches us off guard. Maybe a new opportunity is presented to us when we only have five more years before we can collect our hard-earned retirement, but it’s too good to ignore…
Those are just a few examples of life’s decision-making situations. Depending on what the final decision is, daily life paths could become better or worse.
Decisions affect the people around us. We usually (or should) put a lot of thought into our choices when we consider how they could disrupt or change the lives of those close to us.
Should we get involved with a specific person?
Should we quit our job and go back to school?
Should we move to a different town?
Should we change career paths?
Decisions are not always easy to make. They require us to look at the immediate benefits or ramifications, as well as the long-term benefits or ramifications. The choices we make truly do matter.
One of our guests, Millie (not her real name), found herself in the position of needing to make a very important decision for her future.
Here’s her story:
Alcohol has had a hold over my life for a long time. My addiction was getting worse, though, because I was angry and upset. It helped me “feel better.”
For years, my boyfriend and I made it [life] work, but then the time came when we simply couldn’t anymore. We became homeless. We had no place to stay and no food to eat. We had heard about Joy Junction, but I didn’t want to go to a shelter…especially one that taught about God. I didn’t want anything to do with a God who would allow my best friend to be killed.
My boyfriend finally convinced me to try the shelter after days of having nowhere to go. We called the shelter and they told us what we needed to do to get in. We found a ride here and they told us about the program. We knew it was going to be hard because that meant getting sober and cleaning up our lives.
The first 30 days were horrible. The program is a Bible study, so I hated the classes. I didn’t want to hear about God. But, after sitting through the class for several weeks, I began to listen…and learn. I decided to give it a real try.
It was the best decision I’ve ever made.
I began sharing my story, asking questions, going through the steps, and learning how to forgive – not only other people, but myself. The program has helped me be a better person, regain relationships with family members, and stay sober. I have been able to graduate from the program and I even have a job off campus.
I am so thankful for Joy Junction. My future goals are to go back to school, stay sober, and continue working hard in my new life.
Decisions will follow Millie, and each of us, every day of life on this earth. Making wise choices will identify who we are and who we want to be.
Our shelter was created, years ago, so people like Millie could make the decision to start over. During the process of that transition, our guests are given a safe place to sleep at night, three meals a day, and an opportunity to receive assistance with services that could lighten their load when the time comes to leave the shelter.
We truly want a new future for each person who arrives on our doorstep seeking help to reverse their homeless status. It takes many people (staff / volunteers) and fresh ideas to stay current with a changing world, and to move forward on a day-to-day basis as we strive to strengthen our methods and procedures.
We want the best for our guests. Please consider making the decision to join our efforts as we work to break the cycle of homelessness, one life at a time.
