Turning Houses into Homes: Healing the Spiritual Roots of Homelessness
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I’ve spent a lot of time walking the streets, sharing the Gospel, and meeting folks where they are. Usually, when we think of the homeless, we think of the men under the piers or the folks panhandling near the Walmart. But there’s a whole other world of hurting people—women and children—who aren’t sitting on the sidewalk. They are couch-surfing, sleeping in cramped cars, or running from shadows that most of us can’t even imagine. They are the ones who have been "beaten down" by life until their very identity is a bruised and broken thing.
The pain point here isn't just a lack of a roof; it's a lack of hope. It’s the cycle of "band-aid" solutions that provide a meal for a day but leave the soul starving for a lifetime. We see people trapped in cycles of addiction, the aftermath of the foster care system, and the crushing weight of the "working poor" reality where one missed shift means an eviction notice. It’s a spiritual battle as much as it is a financial one.
But there is a solution that goes deeper than a temporary shelter. I recently had the privilege of connecting with Diane Easley, the director of Sue’s Home in Ocean Springs. What they are doing isn't just housing; it’s a radical, faith-based transformation. They are digging into the spiritual roots of why these women are where they are, and they are helping them rebuild their lives from the foundation up. It’s about more than just a bed; it’s about becoming a new creature in Christ.
I remember the first time I heard about Sue’s Home. It felt like one of those moments of divine providence that I love so much. A friend mentioned Diane’s work, and it clicked. We often get donations of clothes for women and children, but in our direct street ministry, we mostly encounter men. God had a plan to bridge that gap. When I finally spoke with Diane, I could hear the fire in her voice—a burning desire to provide safety, security, and a long-term path to wholeness.
From Derelict to Divine
Diane told me a story that perfectly mirrors the work God does in our lives. When they first found the property for Sue’s Home, it was a derelict, abandoned mess. It was the kind of place people walk past and shake their heads at, thinking it was beyond saving. But the Christian community stepped up. For ten months, volunteers labored, using donated materials to turn that "derelict property" into a beautiful facility.
When a woman walks through those doors today, she sees beauty. But Diane is always honest with them. She tells them, "This is the honeymoon part." Eventually, they are going to "hit the wall." That’s when the real work begins. It’s easy to feel good when you have a clean bed and a hot meal, but the real transformation happens when you start digging into the "poor choices," the "dysfunctional homes," and the deep-seated pain that led to the homelessness in the first place.
We have to see past the physical symptoms to the spiritual reality. You can’t just paint over the rot; you have to replace the wood. Sue’s Home requires a six-to-nine-month commitment because they refuse to put a "band-aid on a problem." They are looking for the root causes.
Breaking the Cycle of the "Working Poor"
One of the things that struck me during our conversation was the reality of the "working poor." Diane pointed out that about a third of their clients are women who are trying their best—working twenty hours a week at minimum wage while trying to raise children. In today's economy, that math simply doesn't work. One bout of flu or a car breakdown, and they are out on the street.
Sue’s Home provides that "cushion" while these women reevaluate their lives and change their trajectory. They help them get their GEDs, enroll in community college, and develop life skills. They are teaching them how to "seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness," as it says in Matthew 6:33 KJV. When you get the spiritual order right, the "things" start to be added.
I’ve seen this in my own walk. When we stop chasing the provision and start chasing the Provider, the landscape of our lives changes. But for these women, many of whom have had their trust "totally obliterated," learning to trust the Father is a long, slow process. It takes a community that won't stop loving them, even when they try to push everyone away.
The Breakthrough for the Youth
There’s another group Diane is passionate about: the 18-to-24-year-olds aging out of foster care. There has been a 300% increase in homelessness in this age group. Can you imagine being eighteen, with no family, no resources, and no idea how to even sign a lease?
This is where the "Breakthrough" program comes in. Instead of just putting them in a facility, they help them get into apartments and provide case managers and mentors. If we don’t reach these young women at this critical junction, they often fall prey to human trafficking, deeper addiction, and more abuse. It’s a preventive strike against the enemy’s plans for their lives.
Personal Reflections
Listening to Diane, I had to reflect on my own journey and how I view the "least of these." It’s easy for us to sit in our comfortable pews and have a "chip on our shoulder" about people who don't look like us or smell like us. Diane mentioned that some women come in covered in tattoos or coming off a "self-medicating" binge to numb the pain of abuse.
I’ve realized that the church often overlooks the homeless because they "don’t increase the tithe base." That’s a hard truth, isn't it? But Jesus didn't look at the tithe base; He looked at the heart. He looked at the spiritual potential of a broken person.
There was a time when I might have judged someone's situation without understanding the spiritual battle they were fighting. But as I’ve delved deeper into the prophetic and the supernatural—even writing about the intense spiritual warfare in Overcoming Night Terror: Making the Demons Leave—I’ve learned that many of these "bad choices" are symptoms of a much larger spiritual oppression.
I was moved by the testimony Diane shared about a young woman who had been in fifteen different foster homes. She was angry, belligerent, and determined to push everyone away before they could "turn on her." But the staff at Sue’s Home just wouldn't stop loving her. Today, that "hopeless" woman is a sold-out Christian, a homeowner, and a mother. That is the power of the Gospel in action. It’s not just a theory; it’s a life-altering force.
I’ve missed it before. I’ve looked at the surface. But Jesus keeps correcting me, reminding me that "as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." Every time we turn a blind eye to the hurting, it's like we are turning a blind eye to Him.
Biblical References
The foundation of everything Sue’s Home does is built on the Word of God. When we talk about the "working poor" or those struggling to survive, we have to remember the promise in the Scriptures: But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you (Matthew 6:33 KJV). This isn't a prosperity gospel; it’s a priority gospel. When these women learn to put God first, He begins to order their steps and provide for their needs in ways they never thought possible.
The heart of ministry to the homeless is found in the words of Jesus Himself. He said, And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me (Matthew 25:40 KJV). This is a sobering reminder that our service to the marginalized is direct service to our Lord. If we want to see the face of Jesus, we often have to look into the eyes of the person the world has cast aside.
We also see the heart of God for the broken and the solitary in the Psalms. God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land (Psalm 68:6 KJV). Sue’s Home is that "family" for the solitary. It is the place where those "bound with chains" of addiction and trauma can find the freedom that only comes through Christ.
The goal of this long-term ministry is nothing less than a complete spiritual overhaul. We are told, Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV). Diane’s stories of former clients coming back as homeowners and night managers are living proof of this verse. The "old things"—the homelessness, the anger, the foster care trauma—have passed away.
Finally, we are called to a specific kind of fast and a specific kind of worship that includes the physical needs of our neighbors. Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? (Isaiah 58:7 KJV). When we open our homes and our hearts, we are fulfilling the very fast that God has chosen.
Key Takeaways
- Homelessness has spiritual roots. It is rarely just about a lack of money; it’s often about a lack of identity, hope, and healing from past trauma.
- Long-term commitment is necessary. "Band-aid" solutions don't work for deep-seated problems. Transformation takes time—often six to nine months of consistent love and counseling.
- The "invisible" homeless need our attention. Women and children sleeping in cars or couch-surfing are often overlooked by traditional street ministries.
- Mentorship is vital. Especially for youth aging out of foster care, having a Christian mentor to "come alongside them" and disciple them is the difference between success and a return to the streets.
- We serve Jesus by serving the "least." Our treatment of the downtrodden is the ultimate litmus test of our faith.
Conclusion and Call to Action
God is doing something remarkable on the Gulf Coast through ministries like Sue’s Home. They are on the "boots on the ground" front lines, doing the hard work of turning derelict lives into beautiful testimonies of grace. But they can’t do it alone. It takes a community of believers who are willing to step up, pray, and provide the resources needed to keep the doors open.
As I always say on the podcast, we need to "dig deeper and go higher." That applies to our charity just as much as our prayer life. If you feel led to support this work, I encourage you to reach out to Diane. Whether it’s through financial donations, goods, or the commitment of your time as a mentor, you can be part of someone’s "breakthrough."
Please visit ConradRocks.net for more episodes and articles on how to live a life directed by the Holy Spirit. If this message touched you, share it with your friends and family on social media. Let’s make sure the "invisible" among us are finally seen.
Action Items
- Pray for Sue's Home. This is an intense spiritual battle. Pray for Diane, the staff, and the women currently in the program to have the strength to "hit the wall" and keep going.
- Review your own perceptions. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you if you've been judging the "homeless" based on appearance or if you've been overlooking the women and children in your own community who are in crisis.
- Become a Mentor. If you are in the Gulf Coast area, contact Diane about mentoring a young person aging out of foster care. Your wisdom and stability could change their entire life trajectory.
- Support Faith-Based Ministries. Consider adding a ministry like Sue’s Home (Community Care Network) to your monthly giving. They depend on the "God’s people stepping up" rather than government handouts that might limit their ability to share the Gospel.
- Share the Gospel. Remember that the poor have the Gospel preached to them. Don't just give a handout; give the hope of Jesus Christ.
Until we meet again, dig deeper and go higher. God bless you.
Note: For more on my journey into the supernatural and how God delivers us from the darkest places, check out my books OPEN YOUR EYES and Overcoming Night Terror.
Sun Herald - http://bit.ly/SunHeraldSuesHome ;Get involved ;
diane@ccnms.org ;
http://www.ccnms.org/sues-home/ ;
http://www.ccnms.org/ ;
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