March 2017

Kathys Visit Two Week Come and See

Vanessa: I came to the
Many of you will
Refuge out of obedience to March 2017
remember Kathy
the Lord. At first I wanted to
who first came to the
run back home but God
Refuge for a Week-
taught me that it is necessary
end Retreat 3 years
to depend on Him. Through
ago and accepted
Christ. She had
the structure and discipline I For people serious about getting well!
learned the importance of
battled depression
waking up early and taking
for most of her adult
life, survived several
care of my responsibilities. Today!
The Lord taught me who I am in Christ, and that I am
suicide attempts and Dear Friends, We are the people He watches over; the flock under His
saved by His grace and not my works. He loves me
was a cutter. She care. If only you would listen to His voice today!
just the way I am. I learned to appreciate the little I recall the harrowing experience of teaching my daugh-
completed our Nine Month program and returned home (Ps 95:7).
things and to trust in Him. I learned that it is neces- ter to drive in our great big, full-sized, van. Not wanting
to Pennsylvania where she has become self-supporting
sary to forgive those who hurt me, to release my to take her out on the busy highway, I directed her down In 1997 when the Refuge first opened its doors, I doubt
and continued to grow in the Lord. She recently returned
bitterness, and to let God in so he can heal me. It is narrower side streets where the van took up almost the anyone was looking 20 years down the road, and yet,
to the Refuge for a weeklong visit. She said: This week
a process that I will continue. whole right-hand lane. Looking back, Im not so sure that here we are planning our 20th Anniversary Gala Event!
was another time of growing for me. My desire is for
was the wisest thing to do because she was so afraid of
others to be encouraged by what God has done and is We listened and obeyed His voice then, and we are still
hitting the oncoming traffic in the left-hand lane that she
doing through me. listening and obeying His voice today. He has guided and
Emily: The Lord has shown me that for most of my kept veering off the side of the road onto the sandy
directed our every step. Our mission was and is to
Christian life, I have relied on my own resources shoulder. Its amazing we did not end up in the canal that
provide a Christian program where emotionally and spirit-
and depended upon people and things to meet my ran parallel to the road!
ually wounded people can find healing through biblical
needs. He has taught me what true submission is,
I dont know how you learned to counseling.
and that I am to come to Him first for all needs in
drive, but Ive met many people who
my life. He has shown me that I will be much more Today, the Refuge is a debt-free,
try to move forward in life while look-
effective in ministry going forward if I abide in Him, thriving ministry situated on 1.3
Theres Still TimeDont Miss It!! instead of doing it in my own power. He has given
ing in the rearview mirror. Somehow
acres in beautiful downtown Vero
they think the past will change if they
me strength and endurance that I never thought I Beach. Through the development of
keep revisiting the old wounds and
had. both the residential programs and
mistakes. Instead, it keeps them stuck
the community counseling services,
in the mud and spinning their wheels.
Your Support is

over 1,500 women and their families

MAKING A Other people, like me, concentrate

more on looking at the map instead of
have been healed from their past
and received hope for the future.
the road. I tend to focus way ahead while trying to deter-

DIFFERENCE
Today, the Refuge continues to rely solely on you, the
mine the destination, and which direction to take to
faithful ones, who listen to His voice and offer prayers,
reach the destination. The pressure and anxiety gets
time, talents, gifts, and financial resources to further His

One Life
worse when I think thoughts like: Where am I going? I
mission. We cannot do this without you!
cant do this! Am I going the right way? How much
longer? We praise God that Jesus Christ is the
same yesterday, today, and forever.

At A TIME
Im getting to the place where I just want to enjoy the
Hebrews 13:8
drive, today. In fact, it would be way more enjoyable and
less anxiety producing to let God have the wheel each Praising and Serving Him,
and every day.
Cheryl Wood
Director of Counseling Services

 Finding Hope
Every day people come to the Refuge in search of hope in
a broken and fallen world where their lives are crumbling
under the devastating effects of anger, abuse, miscom-
munication, infidelity, pornography, and more.
Without hope, elderly suffer alone in their homes,
addicts return to their habits, parents give up on
their children, stressed and strained marriages never
reconcile, the sick and disabled and lost and lonely
people lose the reason for fighting the battle to
survive. Hope is necessary for life.
We define hope beyond just receiving healing from
cancer or money in the bank or our loved ones
coming back to us. We see hope from a failure in the
Bible who literally could not undo what he had
done, and yet was miraculously forgiven and com-
missioned to go out and help other failures like him-
self. Peter said in his first letter, chapter 1, verse 3:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who according to His great mercy has caused us to be
Todays Prayer
Dear Father, for many of us who are afraid, our voices
tremble saying those words: Dear Father. When were
praying to You we are testifying that we belong in Your
family and You are our Father who not only loves us but
You will protect us from our enemies all around us. You
give us hope. Like King Jehoshaphat prayed when mighty
armies were coming towards him, we pray his words: O
our God, will You not execute judgment on them? For we
are powerless against this great hoard that is coming
against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are
on You. 2 Chron. 20:12 There are times when we dont
have the strength to continue, but we have faith and
hope that You will rescue us again and again.
John Newton wrote, No strength of our own and no
goodness we claim; yet since we have known of the
Saviors great Name, in this our strong tower for safety
we hide: the Lord is our power. The Lord will provide.
In His Name, Amen
born again to a living hope through the resurrection of
Jesus Christ from the dead. Peters hope became alive
again through intense suffering. Without Christ, those
who are experiencing hard times today,
hope is a fantasy, like going to Disney.
Lets face it, suffering is not fun! Charles
Swindoll said in his book, Hope Again:
We Christians are not living on this
earth as care-free tourists. We are not
vacationing our way to heaven. We are
soldiers on raw, pagan soil. Everywhere
around us the battle rages. The danger
is real, and the enemy is formidable.
Christ died not only to gain victory over
sins dominion but to equip us for that
fightto give us the inner strength we
need to stand against it. Therefore, we
are to arm ourselves with the strength that Christ gives
because our purpose in life is the same as His.
~Donna Robart
Our needs:
Commercial Refrigerator
Full Sized Freezer
Stacked washer and dryer
Protective fencing and signage
Volunteers for workdays
Volunteers with office skills
Sponsors or jobs for residents
Local church volunteers help with campus cleaning
The debris at the Womens Refuge was picked up early
this month, the fence around the side of the campus is
weeded, and trash, brush and leaves have been
removed, all thanks to the crew of volunteers from
First United Methodist Church and staff at the Refuge.
The project was led by Groundskeeper Sue Sergeant.
The whole team from First United Methodist and our
staff was a great help, giving us a big jump on our
spring landscaping," said Sergeant. "We were over-
Volunteers from First United Methodist plus Ted and Sue
joyed and grateful for their help, which gave us more
time to tackle other pressing needs around campus.
Volunteers continue to be the heartbeat of our organi-
zation. In Colossians 3:23-24 the Scripture reminds us Every little bit helps
that everything we do, we must do it unto the Lord.
Please join us in this important work to lift up those Two of our residents recently received a generous
who are emotionally and spiritually wounded. donation from an anonymous donor. Because some the
Volunteer at the Refuge today! women who come through our program may be already
on a limited income, donations like cash, gift cards to
movies and/or local clothing stores help lift their morale
and add a little sunshine into their world.
If youre out and about and feel led to pick up a gift certifi-
cate, just bring it by the Refuge. Every little bit counts!
Remember that no act of kindness, no matter how small
is ever wasted
It ALL adds up!
On behalf of our board, staff and the people we serve -
Thank you Regency Park, for your recent donation! In
this picture, Deborah Hollenbach, Regency's Executive
Director and Carrie Jones, Regency's Director of Life
Enrichment, are presenting a $1,000 check to Donna
Robart (standing in the middle) Women's Refuge
Founder. ~ Brenda Sposato