Hope and a Future

Day in and day out, we watch as girls in our program are transformed from broken, wounded people into strong, confident women who know they have a hope and a future!

I never cease to be amazed at God’s ability to transform a life. In fact, one of our 2006 graduates, Tina, recently sent me an update I’d like to share with her permission. This young woman is pursuing God and striving to give back with such intensity that you can feel the passion in her words!

In two months I will be graduating with my master’s in marriage and family therapy and professional counseling from Richmont Graduate University in Atlanta. As it gets closer, I am just so excited because it is so cool how God has brought me full circle. I now get to give back to others for the rest of my life through counseling. I dealt with drug addiction and an eating disorder and brushed death, but Mercy was the catalyst that helped me change. I still wear my ring every day as a reminder, and I love it when people ask about it because then I get to tell them about Mercy. 

I love staying connected through things like Run 4 Mercy, and I continue to be ministered to through MercyTalk. It reminds me of where I once was and inspires me to walk humbly through life as His vessel, willing to do whatever He calls me to do. I know it’s gonna be AWESOME! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping give my life back. I will be praying for you and will continue to support Mercy always. See you at the 30-year celebration!

- Tina, 2006 Graduate 

I hope you realize just how valuable your support is from Tina’s note. On behalf of everyone at Mercy Ministries, I want to thank you with all my heart for what you are making possible – both now and in the years to come!

Sincerely in Christ,

Nancy Alcorn
Founder and President

P.S. I hope you’ll join Dave Ramsey, CeCe Winans, myself and hundreds of Mercy graduates and supporters at our 30th Anniversary celebration on June 14th. To register or learn more, visit www.Mercy30th.com.

You Make an Eternal Difference!

On behalf of all our residents and staff, I want to thank those of you who support Mercy Ministries financially. You are making an eternal difference!

The best way I know to demonstrate the life-saving impact of your compassionate giving is to let you hear directly from one of our most recent graduates. Here’s Nicky’s story, shared with her permission:

I was sexually, physically and verbally abused from ages 5 to 15. In middle school, I developed an eating disorder and began cutting, and in high school I started using drugs. I was placed in 43 different hospitals, group homes, and state hospitals for children. In my adult years, I found myself trapped in a world of prostitution and drugs. I heard about Mercy in the ICU after a near-fatal drug overdose.

During my time at Mercy, God broke down my walls. The first scripture I learned was Jeremiah 29:11… God has a purpose for my life! That really meant a lot to me because I thought my purpose was to be in a state hospital my whole life since that’s what I had been told. I learned that I am loved, and I am able to love others. Today, my life and family relationships have been completely restored!

– Nicky, 2013 Graduate

Nicky’s story would not have this happy ending if not for the life-changing power of Jesus Christ. That’s why Mercy Ministries remains committed to the principle of not accepting any government funding or any other money with strings attached. Without the freedom to share Christ with these girls, there is no transformation.

I hope you are encouraged to know that you are a part of Nicky’s testimony. Supporters like you make this ministry possible, and we pray daily for you!

Sincerely in Christ,

Nancy Alcorn

P.S. I’m excited to announce that we’ve just released a new, 30th Anniversary Edition of the book Echoes of Mercy, and it’s available during the month of March for just $10! This special edition includes never-before seen photos, new chapters, fully updated content and even more inspiring stories. Visit www.mercyministries.com/books to order your copy today!

Look What Our Supporters Did In 2013!

As we enter our 30th year of ministry, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for being such a vital part of our team. You make a way for hurting girls to get the help they need, free of charge, when they wouldn’t be able to afford it otherwise. You have truly blessed them, and you have truly blessed us!

Click here to read amazing stories of freedom from 2012

Mercy Ministries seeks to operate under the highest standards of financial accountability and excellence, so you can be assured your gift is making a tangible impact. The following are just a few highlights that show how your giving made a difference in 2012:

• Our Intake Department fielded over 14,000 phone calls and received more than 1,100 applications from across the U.S. and internationally.

• We launched a new weekly podcast series, “MercyTalk with Nancy Alcorn” (www.MercyTalk.org), which allows us to bring a message of hope and healing to a global audience.

• Mercy Ministries maintained our certification by the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA). In addition, I was selected to serve alongside Franklin Graham, Dr. Jack Hayford and other prominent Christian leaders on ECFA’s Board of Reference, an advisory panel that supports ECFA leadership in its mission to help Christ-centered, nonprofit groups maintain financial and ethical best practices.

• We received our fourth consecutive 4-star rating from Charity Navigator. According to Charity Navigator, only 6% of the charities they rate receive this distinction.

• I had the great privilege of serving on two international mission trips, one to El Salvador and the other to Uganda (in the same region our Mercy graduates ministered to in 2011). In April, I traveled to El Salvador for a series of women’s conferences hosted by Pastor Debbie Lindell and her James River Assembly team, which included two Mercy graduates! In June, I joined Gary and Marilyn Skinner, founders of Watoto Ministries, in Uganda. There I spoke to hundreds of high school students and to Watoto Church’s 20,000-member congregation. I was also able to minister to the many brokenhearted women and children of Gulu, an area once controlled by Kony and his brutal rebel army.

• I was thrilled to write a new book that contains some of the powerful principles God has taught me at Mercy over the past 30 years. “Mission of Mercy: Allowing God to Use You to Make a Difference in Others” will be published by Charisma House and released in May 2013. Please see MercyMinistries.com/MissionofMercy for details and advance ordering.

• Throughout 2012, Mercy Ministries continued to provide life-changing programs for young women throughout the world, including transitional care services for Mercy graduates. We watched time and time again as young women entered our homes hurting and later graduated completely transformed.

It is my prayer that this letter encourages you that your giving makes a life-changing difference. Thank you again for your heart for this ministry and your faithful support. We believe that with your help, we can reach even more hurting girls with the love of Christ in 2013. We thank God for you!

In Christ’s love,

Nancy Alcorn
Founder and President

P.S. I hope you’ll join us in Nashville on June 14th to celebrate our 30th Anniversary! Visit www.Mercy30th.com for details.

Another Life Made Possible by Supporters Like You!

We love celebrating new life – the new life in Christ found by girls in our program, the new lives born to our pregnant residents, and the new lives born to our graduates, sometimes years after they’ve left Mercy. What’s amazing is how these girls want to share with us their joy and often tell us that without Mercy, their babies would not have been possible.

Heather, a Mercy grad from 10 years ago, recently shared her story and some great photos!

Baby Josiah shows off his mother's
Mercy ring - a special gift given
to each Mercy girl the day she graduates