At the Lydia Center self-evaluation is a tool we often use for a resident to begin to learn to figure out why they do positive things as well as negative ones. We train them to figure out why they do what they do. They answer questions regarding the behavior they wish to change and then invite the community at the Lydia Center to ask questions around the choice that was made. When a resident speaks an unkind word, doesn’t do homework, procrastinates on their job search or doesn’t do tasks completely - these things often come from a wound of the past. Self-evaluations open them up to allowing God together with the community at Lydia Center to bring healing in those painful areas from the past.Today I had a great time chatting with one of our residents who just came to us from prison. She said that when she was in prison she was not looking forward to self-evaluations with the community because she had grown accustomed to being shamed when she made a mistake.
After being here a month she says that she really enjoys them and after each self-evaluation with her peers, she feels loved, encouraged and respected. She says, “I actually have girl friends here”.
She has been in prison for 5 years and says she has learned more this month about herself than she has her whole life and that is partly due to the fact that “you can’t hide here”. She understands that she uses humor to be popular and doesn’t want to do that anymore. She is committed to falling in love with the Lord and even though she has read the Bible before, she now really wants to have intimacy with Christ.
She said “I know my way has not worked”. She was lit up with hope as she left my office – hope that God will turn her life around, hope that she will have a stronger marriage upon departure, hope that He has good plans for her future. I love that God can do so much in a day, a week or a month! Week one wanted to leave……week 4 committed to the journey of life change!
Melissa Alcorn • Executive Director, Lydia Center
2 comments:
What an amazing story. You are doing great things over there at the Lydia Center. Thank you for allowing your readers to take a peek into the work that you do.
Thanks for sharing, Sarah! And for your encouraging words. These milestones are truly a huge breakthrough, and we thank God for making each step possible.
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