As we continue to celebrate 40 years of Mercy, we want to share with you some encouraging stories about God’s provision for Mercy Multiplied. From the beginning, God showed Nancy that this would be a ministry built on faith and over the years He has shown up in incredible ways!
Today’s story is an excerpt from Founder & President Nancy Alcorn’s book “Echoes of Mercy”, about the beginning of her journey to West Monroe, LA to start Mercy’s very first home and some of the core values the Lord showed her.
As I was finalizing my plans to move to Monroe, I knew I needed to tell my family.
“I have a new job opportunity in Monroe, Louisiana,” I told them. “I plan to leave in three weeks.” Unsure whether to be happy or concerned, they hesitated to reply. “Well, what kind of job is it?” my mother asked.
“It’s pretty similar to what I’m doing now.”
“Do they already have a home started?”
“I’ll be helping to raise one.”
“How much does it pay?”
That was a tough one. “Well, I’m not really sure exactly.”
“You don’t know what your new job is going to pay?” my mother inquired, looking a little worried.
The direct answer to that question was that I had no idea what my income would be. I didn’t want to worry my parents, but God had given me the assurance that I would eventually be more blessed if I would go to Louisiana. So, I simply said, “Well, we haven’t settled on a definite amount yet, but I know I’ll be making more than I am now.”
I knew I was stretching it a bit, but I had learned from God’s Word to call those things that are not as though they were (Romans 4:17), and I was speaking in faith what God had spoken to my heart.
Before I left Nashville, God impressed on me two specific things that I must faithfully do to experience His provision both personally and for the ministry. First, God showed me that I must tithe on all the donations given to the ministry just as I tithed on my personal income. He made it clear that the sowing and reaping principles that apply to personal giving are just as applicable to the giving of a ministry.
Second, God showed me that I was not to charge the young women who came to the home but to freely minister to their needs. It was important for these young women to know that we were not motivated by money to reach out to them, but rather by the unconditional love of Jesus Christ. The Lord convicted me that if I remained faithful in these small things, I would never lack, and neither would the ministry.
I’d learned a great deal about faith, especially during my two years at Teen Challenge. God had honored each step of faith I had taken to this point, and I trusted Him completely. I knew this was a turning point, a new adventure and challenge God had placed before me. But now He was asking that I take a leap of faith, calling me to His work in Louisiana without a job, a place to live, or the security of a paycheck. I was excited that He had called me to raise up this home, but I was also overwhelmed.
You can purchase a copy of Nancy Alcorn’s Echoes of Mercy, by clicking here.