Dear Candy Since I’ve gone online so many of you have emailed me with your powerful stories and insightful questions. It has been amazing! Find below answers to common questions received; and now, with full permission, I share these stories with you in a new column called ‘dear Candy.’ Have a peek and let me know what you think. Love,

Dear CareNet, I can’t tell you how much this (Pearls of Great Price) program has changed my life. I truly think that every girl/woman should experience this. It has helped me learn to respect myself and to believe in my self because if I don’t who will. The ladies who have helped us girls are remarkable women. They have made us realize that we are special and each one of us has a purpose. This program is very memorable and I will take with me all the things I have learned from this program and use them daily. I just want to say thanks for sponsoring us it means a lot to me.

Thanks Again,

Maegan

The Pearls of Great Price Mentoring Program began in the spring of 2004 and it is offered to girls ages 12-19. Every day at the Center we see effects that premarital sex, peer pressure, low self-esteem and drugs and alcohol have on teens. The Mentoring program exists to speak frankly with teens about the issues that impact their lives and to communicate to them their value. The program addresses purity as the standard and equips them to live a life of self-control. And it is a blast!



Janet , I am Stephanie’s husband. First, I want to tell you that the banquet was amazing! Please pass along to your colleagues how thankful I am that I was able to attend and be a part of something so special.

Secondly, I want to tell you how thankful and appreciative I am for the ministry that you allow God to use you in. I tried to say something about it to you after the banquet, but I couldn’t get the words out; so here they are: Personally, New Dawn has been an intricate healing aspect of my marriage. This course healed things in me that had nothing to do with abortion, but did have to do with loving Stephanie. It’s fully how He ministers to us in His time and with his tools. Thank you for being that tool. The curriculum and the process heals so much more than the women sitting in your classroom once a week. It has released our family into a love that we were searching for. The program’s requirement of God, His healing and His word is the backbone of love, mercy, and foregiveness. You use it to the fullest possible capacity and I want you to know that the couple of hours you spend in one lesson isn’t a fraction of the time spent outside of the classroom. If women can get just half of what Stephanie and I got from New Dawn, that would be a miracle!

Please don’t hesitate to let us know if we can do something for you or the Center. You are always in our prayers.

Thanks again and God bless you with energy, wisdom, and strength to fight the fight!!!

Kiley

Stephanie was a participant in the Care Net of Amarillo New Dawn Ministry. New Dawn is a Christian ministry designed to help men and women find healing from a past pregnancy loss; the recipient of the letter, Janet Weeks, the Director of New Dawn Ministry.



Dear Candy… It means more than I can explain or express. The Crisis Pregnancy Center has helped many different people over the years, including me.

When I found out I was pregnant I went to the Center and they helped me so much. I was 15 and very scared. I needed mental and physical support. The Crisis Pregnancy Center helped me with both of those needs. They have so many wonderful ladies who help every girl who needs it. The Center is so awesome with the things they do and so unbelievable and such a blessing.

I believe that if any girl needs help she should go the Crisis Pregnancy Center instead of any other place in Amarillo. The ladies there are the most wonderful, loving and awesome Christian you will ever meet.

Lindsey



To Whom it May Concern, We would like to share with you what the (Pearls of Great Price) Mentoring Program has meant to our family.

Candy told us about the Mentoring Program and we knew instantly that this was something that we wanted Kandace and her 14 year old sister, Miranda to participate in. We knew that it would be even more meaningful to our girls if some of their friends would participate too. Seven girls from Friona committed to participate. The program began with a Meet and Greet. The girls were happy to meet their Mentors and the other girls participating in the program but were still not convinced that it would be worth the time spent each week to travel the 140 miles round trip to participate. The overnight retreat was next. That was all it took for our girls to be 100% convinced that this would be very much worth their time. They talked nonstop about the wonderful people they were getting to know and the fun and meaningful activities that took place at the retreat. The Lord was quickly working in their hearts.

The girls quicky learned that everyone makes mistakes, but there is always hope in the Lord. From that point on the girls looked forward to each week to the time that they would spend with the group. The Mentors who unselfishly gave of their time each week to teach, love, pray with and support these girls are amazing ladies that our girls quickly grew to love and trust. The parent training which informed parents of what the girls were learning was very supportive in giving us ideas and encouragement in the difficult task of raising our children. The banquet is something that will be remembered forever. We could all feel the Lord’s presence in such a special way. We left the banquet with such a feeling of strength and peace.

It gave both girls the strength to face difficulties that may lie ahead with the assurance that the Lord is always present in their lives and will guide them in all that they do.

We thank God for showing us where to turn and for making this Mentoring Program available to use when we so greatly needed it.

Love in the Lord

Kirk and Annette Frye



Dear Candy… My daughter Rachel, who, for a season is in her life, volunteered at the Crisis Pregnancy Center in Canyon, first peeked my interest in helping out at the Care Net in Amarillo. She absolutely loved it and told me all sorts of exciting incidents of how God brought women across her path that needed not only physical help, but heartfelt ministry as well. Then Sherrie Lavato encouraged me to get involved. She told me the work was right up my alley and that I would love it! And I do!

The main driving force the Lord planted in my heart after He saved me some 33 years ago, was to bring other people into the Kingdom. We have an enemy who works 24/7 making every effort to see that salvation does not happen for anyone, anyplace, anytime. Don’t you just love messing up his schemes and doing what you can to thwart his plans? I can’t say I like the label of “Pit Bull,” but several friends have called me that through the years. There’s a reason for that nickname. I’m not one to give up on rescuing a person from Satan’s grip. I can deal with people about their issues and problems all day long, but my experiences have shown me they inevitably slip back to wallowing in the mire unless they become new creatures in Christ Jesus. They don’t need a quick fix; they need a whole new life that starts by a total surrender to the Lord. That’s why I love to share the Gospel message. The best analogy I can think of is giving a person a fish, so he or she won’t starve, versus teaching them how to fish, so that they can take care of themselves the rest of their lives. Without Jesus, no one can make it over the long haul, the short haul, or any other haul.

I spent the first 23 years of my life on the road to hell. Then a good friend of mine, who had been as miserably lost as I, got saved; she took the time and spent the energy to show me a better way. I want to return the favor by rescuing others from that same path I was on and transferring them to the road leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. In one of the volunteer training sessions required for working at Care Net, Sharon Perkins made a statement that spoke to this Pit Bull. She said, “If you like to evangelize, this is the perfect place for you. You’ve got a vulnerable girl who desperately needs help and direction, trapped in a quiet room with the guarantee of no interruptions.” Awesome! The confidential environment and the godly staff at Care Net offer volunteers a wonderful place to present God’s plan of salvation and lead precious girls into the Kingdom!

Betty Haller



Dear Candy… I believe that the Lord strategically placed me at the centers to be an instrument of His love and compassion. When I minister to a client, I learn to trust in Him and “feel” His love for each of the women who come in whether it be for a crisis pregnancy or material needs for themselves or their children.

My reasons for being a volunteer are many, but the one main one is treating the clients with dignity in their time of need and showing them the love of the Lord.

I have learned much about myself and others while volunteering at the centers. I would rather be “a door keeper” at the center than have the greatest job offered in this world.

Serving women and helping them through the tough times of life is the greatest “job” in the world. Thanks for allowing me to be a part of a great work.

Bea Tarr



Dear Family : This past year has been a hard time for me, yet I have been blessed in many ways. Last winter I made a mistake and became involved with Jeff again and became pregnant. As I prayed about the situation God spoke to me and asked me to do something I thought I would never be able to do (but with God anything is possible). He spoke to me in several dreams, placing images in my head of a couple that would never be able to have a child of their own. God asked me to provide his loving, Christian couple with a precious child. So I placed my life in God’s hands and have been blessed ever since and will bless this couple with a beautiful baby girl at the end of July.

Sandy and Matt are two of the greatest people I have ever met in my life. Sandy teaches deaf children and Matt owns and operates a manufacturing company and an aviation charter service. He is very, very intelligent. Meeting with them over lunch at Chili’s for three hours confirmed that this is what God has called me to do. I am very, very excited to provide them with a child they could not have on their own. I can’t explain how this makes me feel – it just fills me with joy that God would use me to bless them. They have been trying and praying for a child for 10 years.

I pray daily that you will understand what God has asked me to do and that you will not be angry with me. If you are angry with me, it’s okay – I completely understand. Just please pray for me.

I pray daily that this precious life I am carrying inside me is perfect in every way. Sandy and Matt have endured enough trials throughout their lives. All I ask from anyone is that you also pray for this child to be healthy. I do not want anyone to worry about me. I am doing great and will be perfectly fine placing the baby in Sandy and Matt’s arms. God has gotten me this far and will continue to provide everything I will ever need.

As for my future, I will go on about my life. I will attend school this fall. I plan on getting back in the rodeo circuit once again, where God has assured me I will meet the love of my life. Although it may take me a while to get the hang of rodeo again it has always been my dream and I love it. When I graduate from college I would like to move down around Dallas or maybe way up north somewhere and get a job on a ranch doing what I love. But no matter what, God will always be my first priority. I just thought I would share my thoughts for my future so that you would not worry what I would do with my life.

In God’s Love,

Jessica

Jessica’s letter is written from a Care Net client to her family. “Jessica” decided to place her baby for adoption. While Care Net does not play a role in the actual adoption process, we do act as a support for birth mothers as they walk out this important calling.



Dear Candy… The time that we have together has helped me to see that sex is killing me each time I have it with someone outside of marriage. I feel it has helped me become more aware how harmful my life was with unsafe sex, and sex that has no meaning but destroying my life each time. I feel it has helped me to make the decision of not wanting to have sex until I was or am married.

I now have a plan to stay away from having sex and giving into my sexual emotions when they occur. I have now learned to set boundaries of what I want and how far I will take my sexual behaviors when that situation will take place. I gained more self respect for saying no to things I don’t want. I feel I also learned how to listen more to others and always having to have the last word. I see that I don’t need a man to be happy or to have fun. I understand that when I give men or boys my body I am out of control over myself. I let someone who does not know or care about me have control, which scares me.

So now I have compassion for my body and to regain my life back in control. I feel that has helped me. I now don’t so much stress over sex or think about it consistently. I am focused on my life now and about people around me who care.

What I want to add is that being 16 and knowing you are cute is hard. I know each person is meant to be so I am slowing down my actions. Being slow is a thing that takes time, which I am doing right now. I am now a strong young lady because of all the work, time, effort you chose to give me. You have helped me realize I used sex, God, myself, and those around me, to get the feeling for a moment that I was cared about. You and my staff both have told me that if I left boys alone I would be a whole lot better off. Thank you for your time.

Tonya


Got a question or story to share with Candy? Contact her at dearcandy@carenetamarillo.org