Lynn remembers well the 18th and 19th of December 2009. “That week­end was the weekend God opened the door for me to get out,” she said.

Lynn was looking to get out of a number of things, including a rough patch with her mother, an abusive re­lationship with her boyfriend, recent unemployment and potential home­lessness. With nowhere else to turn, she turned to NAM.

She talked to Karen Weakly of NAM’s Interfaith Hospitality Network, a program for people transitioning from homelessness, and told her the situation.

Lynn and her nine-year-old son, Jack, had been living with Lynn’s mother for several years, when she made the decision to move in with her boy­friend. She had held a steady job for more than two years working in the enrollment department for an HMO medical healthcare plan, and she was focused on making a stable life for herself and her son.

Unfortunately, the next few months for Lynn and Jack were anything but stable. She realized quickly after moving in with her boyfriend that it was a mistake, so she began making plans to leave. Then she unexpectedly lost her job. With nowhere else to live, Lynn felt trapped in the relationship, which quickly escalated into domestic violence.

“I became concerned for Jack’s safety,” Lynn said. “I thought, ‘if I’m going to get out, we’re going to have to go into a shelter.”

Lynn went to the library to search online for Houston-area shelters and saw NAM’s Web site. She knew about NAM and its reputation as a good community resource, so she made the call to the IHN program.

Lynn and Jack were quickly accepted into the IHN Program, and Lynn re­members feeling overwhelmed at the kindness shown to them within the first few weeks. The host congregations, which take turns housing IHN families throughout the year, made Lynn and Jack feel like they mattered and were loved. Lynn and Jack stayed at Lake­wood United Methodist Church and John Wesley United Methodist Church over the Holiday season, and both churches included them in their Christmas festivi­ties and gift giving. In addition, the two were also invited to the annual Caldwel

Lynn and Jack were forced to leave their previous home in a rush and leave many of their belongings, so they were very happy to receive new items.

“That was a pretty big deal for us,” Lynn said. “God blessed us in abun­dance.”

Lynn believes that only with the Lord’s help can she keep moving forward every day. She has a strong faith and is grateful for her church, Lighthouse Worship Center, where her pastor and the congregation are like her family. She has been attending Lighthouse for eight years and enjoys singing in church as well as running the sound board and the technical equipment for the services.

Lynn credits her church and NAM for helping her get back on her feet again. For five months now, she has been working for a temp agency in Huntsville that contracts with the state to organize prison records. She works approximate­ly 40 hours per week.

Lynn acknowledges that she has some more obstacles to overcome in the near future, but she is taking them one step at a time. Her car recently broke down, which makes it difficult to get to her job in Huntsville, and the location of her job requires a lot of additional time and gas money. With NAM’s help, Lynn is learning how to set and manage a budget, and she says that’s a skill she’s still mastering.

During her time in IHN, Lynn has taken advantage of many of the services NAM offers. She completed Financial Literacy classes, and she and Jack have had sev­eral counseling sessions with counselors in the Family Violence Center. In addi­tion to domestic violence counseling, the two are also receiving family counseling to help mother and son communicate better.

“NAM has brought me closer to my son,” Lynn said. “Things like that help me keep going forward.”

Lynn is currently searching for an apartment and plans to leave the IHN program this month. With her newly mastered skills and the backing of a reli­able job, a strong faith, and a supportive community, Lynn is confident that she and Jack are well on their way to the stability they both want.