Embracing the New
I must admit I did not stay awake to see 2022 become reality at midnight on January 1. I did not have a good excuse for why this was the case – however, a certain football game just did not quite go the way I was hoping it would.
As I look back on that, it’s in the past – 2021; being a therapist I should have been able to reframe my circumstances and turn a not-so-good feeling into the possibilities of better things in the coming year, but I chose not to do that. A time of reflection is sometimes in order and now I see that the new has the possibilities of being even better.
Football is a game and the outcomes should not hinder us from being the person God has created us to be. Can the same thing be said about other things? How did your 2021 end? For some it was good, especially if you are a Bulldog fan, but for others, maybe not as good. Possibly someone close to you has been battling illness, a significant loss, or some other heartache. The turn of a new year is an opportunity to refocus, reframe, or realign how we see things.
The new year will not take away illness, or the sadness of losing someone. However, it does give us another chance to do something. Will your something be Kingdom focused, have Kingdom purpose, or __________________? A new year, a blank slate, a blank line, an opportunity to fill in something; what will you do?
Beacon of Hope will still be providing master level counseling services without fees. The ministry will have a newly outfitted conference room with monitor, camera, and mics that will allow us to have hybrid meetings and trainings that will include all five sites and staff. We still have our sights set on Phase 3, the unfinished part of our Holland building. We did not rush to complete this in 2021, but we will be seeking God’s guidance on the particulars of what will be the best use of that space. We start the year with 13 interns. (117 total from inception of the program in 2007). We have the staff in place to serve more than 8,000 counseling sessions this year. Our waitlist is manageable.
Now, we just have to be faithful and get the work done. God is still working in each of us and as we faithfully take steps with Him we should see success. Success at Beacon of Hope may not look like success elsewhere. However, we are not here to compare ourselves with others. We have a unique ministry with a model that is meeting many mental health needs in the communities we serve and beyond (thanks to virtual telehealth services). God has blessed our ministry through this pandemic – celebrate the victories with us. One quick story:
A group member in our emotional health group for adults on probation or parole is now completely off parole after spending 25+ years in the penal system. This person never knew life outside of being locked up or on parole since the age of 15. After faithfully attending group and receiving ongoing individual counseling we can now rejoice as freedom has never been experienced like this before. Rejoice with us and know that Beacon of Hope will continue working with this individual to see that they continue to acclimate back into society. What a privilege this is to work in someone’s life in this monumental way.
Thank you for supporting our ministry as we strive to transform communities by caring for all people as Christ does. You are helping us make a difference. We are committed to all people that come through our doors or enter services through a computer screen. God’s love is available to all people and we desire to share it.
Help us share this year! Consider setting up a recurring gift on our website or Facebook page. The links are right here for you to click on today! Thanks in advance for being an active part of the healing process – we get to do this; what a gift God has given us to impact the lives of others.
Website: https://my.simplegive.com/app/giving/beacpo216
Blessings on your generosity!
Kyle Thompson EdD LPC
Executive Director
