HOPE IN HEALING

A 431 MINISTRIES PROGRAM FOR WOMEN

By Janie Burnett

Is it possible for a woman to really discover hope for her future after experiencing a traumatic past especially due to a divorce or the death of a spouse? The answer is an emphatic YES, and this is exactly why 431 Ministries launched the Hope in Healing Program.

Too many women are stuck in grief without support or the tools they need to rebuild after a loss. The mission is to help women work through grief, build a community that understands, and create a real-life plan with practical next steps.

Hope in Healing is made up of two elements that intertwine a weekend retreat and a monthly Practical Advisor Class that builds community and skills. The entire program is offered completely free to the attendees due to the generous support of individuals and businesses who support the program.

Each weekend retreat is held in a serene environment with plenty of space to privately grieve, individually and as a group. Volunteers pre-make all meals, allowing leaders and attendees more time to build relationships with each other. Other volunteers and businesses are involved by donating specific gifts to help attendees realize how much they are known, seen, and loved.

There have been two retreats since launching in 2021. A total of 15 women have attended and been ministered to. The weekend is led by a team of two women who have experienced grief themselves in the form of death, divorce, or both.

During their time together, women are encouraged to share their deepest heartaches, greatest fears, and even their inability to see a bright future for themselves. In some cases, the events that leave them without a spouse are totally unforeseen and occur in tragic ways, but the structure of the retreats is centered on biblical insights and methods to help the attendees learn a new and better way to view their lives and future. This new way of thinking is centered on Christ and all that He offers through the Bible and the community He has placed around us.

The second element of Hope in Healing is the Practical Advisor Classes where monthly, women are offered learning experiences to equip them to live more independently instead of relying on a spouse who is no longer in the picture. The class advisors volunteer their time and expertise to offer additional hope and the topics are strategically chosen to further equip and empower. The sessions held so far include taking care of physical and mental health after a loss, finances and budgeting, holidays as a single parent, and nutrition and healthy eating while grieving. The advice offered by these advisors is an invaluable tool in the hands of women who may have never had to think about these tasks or issues.

The desire of the Hope in Healing Program is that each woman takes steps to move out of her grief and into a state of being healed due to the hope she can find in loving and serving God and Jesus Christ. Without taking these actions, it is difficult (if not impossible) to have hope for healing, but a willingness to work through these steps can help each woman understand a purpose for her grief. That purpose may well be to encourage other grieving women who cross their paths and help them find hope in their healing also.

Furthermore, 431 Ministries offers additional help to Hope in Healing participants in the form of a wrap-around program called the Sideby-Side Program. Participants who find they need a higher level of support and help may participate. This program further equips women to create a personalized plan with an end goal of a future where each participant is safe, stable, and independent. Participants are held accountable for the goals and plans they’ve designed with the support of a multi-person Care Team. The tools and resources participants are given allow women to confidently pursue their goals and graduate feeling empowered to live out their plans after the program ends.

For additional information on 431 Ministries and the Hope in Healing Program, visit 431house.org/hope-in-healing. Programs are open to the public. Follow 431 Ministries on social media at @431.ministries.

JANIE BURNETT is a board member for 431 Ministries and has been one of the two facilitators for the Hope in Healing Program since its launch. She is the widow of Randy Burnett who pastored churches in Arkansas and Michigan and mother of two grown children and two grandchildren. She currently resides in Spring Hill, Tennessee, and faithfully attends the Church at Station Hill.

431 Ministries was founded by Rachel and Justin Peck in 2018 after they took into their own home a single mom and her child. Since that time, hundreds of women have been helped through the outreach of this ministry through three key programs: the Side-by-Side Program, the Known, Seen, Loved Event, and the Hope in Healing Program.