God’s House of Hope, Inc.

I am so thankful that God has put in place a City Council of God fearing individuals in Calhoun.  Because of this they have a direct line of communication open to hear the Will of God.  They have a love for the residents of Calhoun and show that by trying to represent them in city government.  I have a Calhoun address but live outside the city and spend 12-14 hours a day working in the city limits.  I love it here.
I am aware that Calhoun and other towns in McLean County have a lot of problems with people effected by drugs and alcohol.  Not just the people taking drugs or drinking alcohol but all of their relatives and neighbors.  The cost to the city and county to fight crimes caused by these diseases and cost to our governments to try to pick up the pieces of hurting children and other family members is very great.  My heart hurts for people in our community.  Thank God that now my heart hurts for people that are addicted.
The emphasis of this letter is not to focus on me.  It just so happens that I can’t tell of what God has done without relating to my experiences.  I am a part of God’s House of Hope.  In 2005 God shared with us the vision for The Harvest House.  It is to be a residential facility for men to live that want to break free from the chains of drugs, alcohol and other hang-ups.  They will be saturated with God’s Word and Love and many invitations to give their hearts and lives to Him.  I have had people that are close to me that could not break free from that life style.  When they would try to, drug dealers would break into their house over and over and shoot drugs into their veins and threaten their lives unless they kept quiet.  They were in a hopeless trap of wanting to get out of that life but couldn’t do it on their own.
I started visiting Celebrate Recovery because I wanted to understand what God was doing through this program to change these lives and how God could use me to make a difference in the lives of those that worked in the pallet repair shop at God’s House of Hope.  What I saw was a large number of people hungry for God to change them and break the chains that would free them from that hopelessness.  I also saw church members that really cared about them and showered them with love by spending a lot of time with them.  They really did get it when God told us to put others first ahead of our own needs.  They helped them with physical needs as well.  They helped them clear things up with the law and continually showered them with love.  Because of this love the addicts opened up their hearts to God’s Love, the only person who is qualified to make a change in their heart and change their actions.
Guess what.  They are changing, their kids are effected, their parents are effected, their relatives are effected, their neighbors are effected and our community is effected in positive ways.  Not every addict attending Celebrate Recovery has given all to Jesus.  Some have not let go of the only life they know.  They are still attending services and learning God’s Word.  They are still seeking for change.
How about you?  Do you want your city to be less infected with drugs?  Do you take seriously the second greatest commandment to love your neighbor as yourself?  Have you taken the time to read the scriptures in the Bible that describe hell?  Do you really care that you can make a difference in someone’s life here and in eternity?
Tuesday, March 13, 2007, people in support of The Harvest House asked the city council again to vote to add a residential class to the zoning at God’s House of Hope.  The supporters were not there to make a name for themselves or to have a ministry that is popular.  They are there to answer God’s call to love everyone.  To show a way for people to break free from a lifestyle that will hurt them, their families and their community and help them escape an eternity of everlasting chains and pain.
Your city council members are committed to representing you, the residents of Calhoun. 
They take that very seriously.  From their comments at the meeting some of them have had at least 10 people call them and ask that they vote “no” to adding a residential class to the zoning that exists now.
How about you, the majority of Calhoun residents that did not call?  Can you do your part and call a city council person to let them know you want to make a difference and that you want to take seriously the call to spread the Gospel to every person.  You can do this by asking them to vote “yes” to adding a residential class to our zoning that will allow us to start The Harvest House at God’s House of Hope.
This letter is sincerely not intended to hurt anyone or embarrass anyone, especially not the city council.  They are doing their job and representing the residents that have spoken up.
Personally, when I started trying to work with the addicts, I got very frustrated.  The ones that hadn’t really given their all to Jesus would constantly con me.  I would think, why waste my time; they can’t even be honest with themselves.  God changed me.  I heard a sermon preached about what the Bible says hell is like.  God gave me an urgency to do everything I can to lead them to Jesus so they wouldn’t have to go there.  I realized that the con games were all they knew.  They were still hurting people trying to get out of those chains and bondage.
I consider that at least 30% of Calhoun’s population are addicts or people directly effected by them.  Even if you don’t have a desire to help them, wouldn’t you like to help the other 70% to live in a drug free community?
Dysfunctional families stay that way because they choose to ignore the issues that make them that way.  It’s a lot of work to be honest with each other and take the steps to change.  A city may stay infected with drugs if they don’t make the effort to do what they can to lead the way for people to make changes in their lives.  Even if your not willing to love these people or do not have the energy to help, please make it possible for the people that God has called to help and are answering that call to make a difference.
These addicts are already in the community.  It will be less threatening to you that are afraid of The Harvest House opening because they will live in a controlled atmosphere that will be monitored closely.  They will not roam the streets like they do now.  They will be so saturated by God’s Word and will learn how to be productive citizens.  They will learn job skills and will gradually work their way back into the community.  They can only be better citizens not worse.
Please if you have any questions call 273-3670.  There are testimonies posted of lives that have already been changed by the work God is doing through the tool, “Celebrate Recovery”.
I asked my husband if this letter sounded offensive.  (It is sincerely not intended to.)  He said he didn’t feel offended just a little guilt.  If this is the case with you, let God use this opportunity to show His will to you.
Debbie Mauzy

Calhoun