Holding Space for a Single Mother's Ministry at Christ Wesleyan Church: A Community Advocacy Discussion

[Audio] Holding Space for a Single Mother's Ministry at Christ Wesleyan Church: A Community Advocacy Discussion Created by Pamela Kriton, School of Behavioral Sciences, Liberty University Narrated by AI. %%TTSVOICE%tts:Claribel_Dervla%%TTSVOICE-END%.

[Audio] I envision the ideal Puzzle Project as a faith-based, non-profit drop-in center for single-mother families that integrates current scientific research recommendations. Initially, the Puzzle Project will be funded by purchasing and renovating one of Sunbury's several abandoned homes, where each room will be utilized. Guided by Christian principles, the Puzzle Project would offer a variety of resilience-building activities to single mothers and their children. Goals include purchasing the Single Mothers Ministry Training Kit (The Life of a Single Mom, n.d.) and collaborating with CWC church leaders and interested parties. Enabling the Puzzle Project to offer a weekly faith-based parenting support group and Bible study from a successful EBI. This would be the meat and potatoes of the Puzzle Project. Alongside this social support service, the Puzzle Project would offer an actual puzzle project, incorporated into the house's main room, where single-mother families can drop in and work on puzzles together. There will be a variety of tables to work on, puzzle glue, and frames to hang the puzzles on the wall as testimony to their story. Other rooms include a clothing donation room where single-mother families can contribute, a game room where families can play board games and meet other families, and a TV room that is only on for movie nights. The reading room will offer Christian resources and appropriate trending books. Youth can come here to study; moms can come to relax. The Kitchen can serve as a place where local businesses can sell coffee and snacks, where a part of the proceeds go back into the Puzzle Project..

[Audio] The Life of a Single Mom (TLSM, n.d.), where no single mom walks alone, is the largest provider in the US offering Christian-based curriculums, training, and ministry practices for single-mother families. The following statistics from their website serve as testimony to their work of serving over one million single mothers: 69.8% of single moms consistently attended the support groups for more than six months, 89.5% of attendees integrated at least one new parenting skill learned from the group, 10% of the single mothers attending the group and other programs experienced an increase in homeownership, after six months of group attendance 46% of single mothers are still utilizing a working budget, while 44% of them, since attedning the single mom group have reduced their credit card debt, 92% of attendees reported reduction of stress, 96.2% of them indicated improved relationships with their children since group attendance, 98.1% of single mom attendees reported having more confidence in their parenting skills, 96.2% of single mom support group attendees reported not having an incarcerated child, compared to the national statistics of 78% of the US Prison Population being raised by a single mother, 52% of single mothers engaged in at least two of their programs, less <2% of attendees reported having a child run away as opposed to the national avearage of children of single mother houshoulds being 32x more likely to have a child run away from home, and 86.8% of single moms attending the support group reported that the group helped them form meaningful friendships..

[Audio] The Puzzle Project's drop-in center vision includes improving the quality of life among single-mother families, providing good mental health, and fostering healthier relationships between single mothers, their children, and the community. Happier, healthier homes in our community can have lasting positive effects on future generations. Although there is no current literature to predict statistical outcomes, I theorize that God will reveal His bigger plan in time. Violence could go down, reports to CYS among single-mother homes can decrease, as well as alcohol and drug use among youth. Most importantly, souls could be saved. Although I only know the Bible through my studies at Liberty University, I have learned that a perfect God sent His only Son to demonstrate a perfect love, giving us the chance to believe in Him and align with the Father's will to create more disciples to bring home to His Kingdom for His glory. If I have learned one thing, being raised by a single mother and being a single mother, it is that I serve a God who works through all things, even the terrible, horrible things, for His greater good. All we have to do is have the faith of a mustard seed, and more will be revealed. The Puzzle Project provides a place where lost souls can receive spiritual nourishment, grace, and fellowship, and be seen as part of The Great Commission. Putting the pieces of the puzzle back together for a better world, one lost soul at a time, beginning with me..

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