Speaking at First UMC of Greeneville at 7PM

I had a great time with everyone at First United Methodist Church of Greeneville. We talked about community outreach. They're already doing a great job of compassion evangelism but we hope this helped them fine tune their goals.

Compassion evangelism is probably the best way to meet people who are on the marginalized edges of society. I like to think of compassion evangelism as a way to put Christ in the spot between the rock and the hard place or where the rubber meets the road. This is not always a good place to be which is why Christ is so needed there.

For churches, compassion evangelism offers a way to reach a segment of the population that they might otherwise overlook. It is an intentional ministry where lives are changed for both those who serve and are served. When compassion evangelism is done well the lines between who are being served and who is serving is sometimes blurred. It's the erasing of "us" versus "them" as each blends into "we". The results are powerful.

Compassion evangelism is not for every church. But, for First UMC of Greeneville it seems to be where God is leading. Seeing the church members follow His lead is truly exciting. I look forward to hearing good thing from those who are involved.

Does your church need help discerning which direction of compassion evangelism to take? Give us a call. We'll be glad to help.

Survivors of Sexual and Domestic Violence Share Poetry on Blog Talk Radio

Tonight was open mike night on Voices of Hope on Blog Talk Radio. A survivor emailed the following poem to us. It was read on tonight's show. She wanted to remain anonymous and gave us permission to use the poem.

Voices of Hope on Blog Talk Radio is available for download as a free podcast beginning about 20 minutes after the show. All poetry is the property of the respective authors. Authors are not compensated for usage of their poetry. All works are shared in the spirit of survivors of helping other survivors. Please contact us at voicesofhope@hopeforhealing.org for more information or to submit a poem to be read on the air.

To join us call in to 718.506.1545 from 8:00 pm - 8:30 pm on Monday nights or Tuesdays from 12:00 noon - 12:30 pm. We are in the Eastern time zone.

No computer during the show? No problem! Call in to the above number during the show to listen in.

Here's a copy of the poem that was read tonight. It's guaranteed to knock your socks off!

Is the glass half empty or half full?

Is the glass half empty or half full?
I stare at it and ponder the mystery.
The answer lies deep within myself, my state of mind, my being
The was a time when the glass was full,
Of myself, so sure, so certain
Answers were black and white.
So quick to judge, innocence so fast to die
The night I was raped I wanted to run and hide
I tried to push you off, I begged and I cried.
The once full glass became half empty, inside part of me died.
Wiser, more wary, my eyes opened to pain and to reality.
Is the glass half full or half empty?
The answer to the question is what I seek
Inside of me I know…
The glass is neither half full nor half empty
Each is part of a whole
Two sides of the same coin,
Life versus death,
Innocence versus wisdom,
A rainbow needs sun but it also needs rain,
A valley cannot exist without a mountaintop
In the middle is a plain
Is the glass half full or half empty?
The awakening to the reality is the picture of healing.
Neither can exist without the other.
They are both parts of the whole, a plan complete in its entirety.

Page Upate for Poetry by Survivors of Domestic Violence and Rape

We have just now finishing updating our poetry page. Poetry by domestic violence and rape survivors can be found on our website here. From this link you can read the poems that have been posted and Tweet your friends.

For several years now the poetry page has been one of the more active parts of our main website. Since almost our very beginning in 1996 survivors around the globe have been inspired by the words of others. Do you enjoy writing? We welcome additions to the poetry by domestic violence and rape survivors. From time to time, poetry may be able to be featured right here on The Hope Blog. Email your poem to us and we'll be glad to consider it. There is no compensation for this (we put the "non" in non-profit) but we will gladly place a reciprocal link to your blog. Email us at admin@hopeforheaing.org to learn more.

We are proud to announce another exciting opportunity for writers of poetry by domestic violence and rape survivors. You have probably heard about our internet based Blog Talk Radio show Voices of Hope. With few exceptions our Monday night segment is an open mike night. Survivors call-in live or email us to make a comment or ask questions.

Voices of Hope has become so popular that we are now allow survivors to read their poetry on the air! The show airs on Monday nights at 8PM Eastern. All shows are available as a free podcast download about 20 minutes after the show and from your iTunes account. By reading your poem you agree that you own the copyright and can read it on the air. You also agree to let us use it for the purposes of being redistributed as part of the show.

Simply call in to 718.506.1545 during Voices of Hope on Blog Talk Radio. The system will prompt you to press "1" on your keypad. This lets me know that  you have something you want say. I'll welcome you into the show in the order that the calls are received.

That's all there is to it. If you are a writer of poetry by survivors of domestic violence or rape you are welcome to share your healing.


Be sure to follow us on Twitter to get all the updates. Our ED's personal account is @gaylesglimpses. Don't forget to sign up to get email updates from The Hope Blog from Feedburner! This is another great way to keep informed about all the great things going on at our organization.

Voices of Hope on Blog Talk Radio Open Mike Night

Monday nights are open mike nights for us on Voices of Hope on Blog Talk Radio. This is the only show where victims of sexual and domestic violence can call in live to get their questions answered.

Voices of Hope on Blog Talk Radio may be for you if:

If you are the friend of a sexual or domestic survivor who doesn't know what to do.
If you are a victim who is looking for reassurance.
If you have Christian spiritual issues and are not sure where to turn.
If you just need encouragement that life can be ok again.

Voices of Hope on Blog Talk Radio is on the air on Monday nights at 8PM (Eastern). Call in to 718.506.1545. Questions are welcome to be asked via email. Our address of voicesofhope@hopeforhealing.org is monitored constantly during the show. Questions that are not addressed on the air may be answered privately.

Victims of domestic violence who are in crisis are encouraged to call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1.800.799.SAFE. The hotline url is http://www.ndvh.org. RAINN offers a 24/7 National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1.800.656.HOPE for victims of sexual assault who are in crisis.

To get updates for Voices of Hope on Blog Talk Radio follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/gaylesglimpses

See you Monday night at 8PM (Eastern) at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/hopeforhealing

Stop Domestic Violence Clergy Resources are Available

We're getting more people asking about clergy resources to help stop domestic violence. There are some great free resources available on the Hope for Healing.org website. Go to http://www.hopeforhealing.org/clergy to download the free materials.

The free domestic violence clergy resources include:

Awareness Flier
Bulletin Inserts
Liturgical Readings
Fact Sheet
Pulpit Helps
Prayers for a Domestic Violence Prayer Service
Tips for Creating a Safe Environment
Plus a lot more! Check us out online at the url listed above.

All domestic violence clergy resources are free and customizable.

Remember, sexual and domestic violence is never the fault of the victim. All victims deserve the support and respect that they need to heal. This is just one way that we help victims at Hope for Healing.Org.

Save money. Decorate Your Home with Thrift Shop Finds

People used to ask "How did you do that?" when they walked into the Ministry Center and saw the items that the kids made. To share the information, I've started posting about some of the things we did. The following are a couple of the how-to articles that tells you how we recreated those thrift shop type of items into terrific looking pieces.

The sad thing is that we no longer have a place to meet with our kids. We're still looking but haven't found a place that's affordable. We did some amazing work with items that were donated. Many of these types of pieces can be found in your local thrift shop. The projects that we worked on paled in comparison to the impact made on the kids lives. Working with the Hope Youth was a really cool experience.

Many of the kids that we worked with are juvenile offenders. Most of these were also victims of domestic violence. By working on the projects it gave the kids a chance to interact positively with an adult while learning a skill. The result was pretty powerful.

I hope that you enjoy the articles about the thrift shop type of pieces. The red table in the photo went to a guy who was able to move up from being homeless into having a place of his own. A kitchen table that was recreated previously went to a mother and children. It was a good experience all around.

We're posting the instructions here so our online clients can learn about how to decorate a home using thrift shop finds. We know that some of you will be going from a domestic violence shelter to your own home. Recycling items that are either found or are picked up from a thrift shop can be a good way to make your home pretty while saving money.

You may have some tips and hints of your own to share. Feel free to leave those great suggestions in the comments section of this article.

We hope you enjoy the links:

Recycle a metal thrift shop type of table.
Recycle a Ladderback Chair.
How to Makeover a Kitchen Table.

Resources for Latina and Hispanic Rape and Domestic Violence Victims

For any victim of rape, sexual assault or domestic violence the recovery process can be hard. It is always important for all victims to have support. Having a good network of support resources can shorten the recovery time and makes it easier for victims of rape, sexual assault or domestic violence to find healing.

The primary spoken language in the US is English, Spanish is secondary. Already shrouded in secrecy, language barriers can make it more difficult for people in the Hispanic or Latina community to find support after rape, sexual assault or domestic violence.

Because of this, we have put together a short list of resources. Each of the organizations below offer services to Hispanic or Latina victims of rape, sexual assault or domestic violence. None of the organizations on the list are affiliated with Hope for Healing.Org. We are offering this in case it may be of help to someone who may need the information.

Justice for Women
http://www.charityadvantage.com/lunaiowa/AsaltoSexual.asp
Love is Respect.Org
Rape Abuse Incest National Network
DV Alanza.org
National Domestic Violence Hotline

Additionally, here in Tennessee, Hispanic and Latina victims of rape, sexual assault and domestic violence have access to the Immigrant Legal Clinic. This is a part of the Tennessee Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence. Tennessee has one of the fastest growing immigrant populations in the country which makes their work all the more important.

This list of resources of Hispanic and Latina victims of rape, sexual assault and domestic violence is not exhaustive. If you know of other support resources please feel free to share the name of the organization and the contact url in the comments section of this article. Feel free to Tweet this article or share it with friends. Together, we can make a difference.

Click here for another article on Domestic Violence Resources for Latina and Hispanic Victims.

Tweet us from Here!

Several people have asked for an easier way to tweet posts from our blog. We are going to be trying a service that's new to us. Tweetmeme.Com has been recommended by several blog readers. It offers a handy button that allows information to be tweeted and re-tweeted.

Right now, it's going to be keyed in with the personal Twitter  account of our executive director. A lot of you ask about keeping up with her. This allows you to do it without having to subscribe to multiple accounts. If there is enough demand we may develop our own Twitter account in the future. Right now, we're looking forward to getting everyone's feedback and to trying out this new (to us) service.

As always, we value your input. Email us at admin@hopeforhealing.org, tweet us or leave a comment. We like to hear from you so don't be bashful! 

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Last night, on our Blog Talk Radio Show, Voices of Hope, one of our listeners asked about our planned activities. We discussed the for a minute. Later, she emailed back to ask us how she personally could help for Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

There are so many things that people can do. Absolutely the sky is the limit. We have some ideas on our website for how churches can help get the word out for domestic violence awareness month.

Other ideas for individuals include:

Talking about domestic violence awareness month.
Blog about it.
Wear a purple ribbon.
Burn a CD of Voices of Hope on Blog Talk Radio and give it to a friend. It's a free download.
Tweet about it.
Collect used cell phones and ink jet cartridges for your local domestic violence program.
Be aware of songs that are about domestic violence.
Call your local shelter and ask for a speaker for your next group.
Ask your pastor to preach about it.
Volunteer your time for October domestic violence awareness month activities.

We'll be posting a lot more ideas in the near future. Don't forget to tune into Voices of Hope in Blog Talk Radio in October for even more on domestic violence awareness month.

Look at these resources for more ideas.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month Activities
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
National Network to End Domestic Violence

Voices of Hope Guest: Melody Brooke "Wow This changes everything"

Melody Brooke, MA and author of Oh, Wow! This Changes Everything! will be on our Voices of Hope show on Blog Talk Radio. Join us Tuesday, Sept. 15 at 12:00 Noon (EDT) as she talks about her book and upcoming conference. The url is http://www.blogtalkradio.com/hopeforhealing

You should listen to Melody Brooke, MA on Voices of Hope if you have ever:

• Had your significant other blow a gasket over something that made no sense?
• Felt your stomach contract and your mind go into “fight or flight” mode over something someone said?
• Just couldn't bring yourself to say "I'm sorry", when that's what you really wanted?
  

If so, this show is for you. Come join us at 12Noon (EDT) here. This may be the show that helps you start changing your life! You may walk away with fresh insights and ideas on how to create the life that you have always wanted.

Survivors of rape, incest, domestic violence, PTSD and trauma may find listening to Melody Brooke, MA on Voices of Hope on Blog Talk Radio to be especially helpful. Partners of survivors, family members and friends may also find that Oh, Wow! This Changes Everything! truly does. You have already lived through the trauma what happened. Now, this is your opportunity to begin living beyond what happened to you.

Want to join Melody Brooke, MA on Voices of Hope on Blog Talk Radio but can't get near a computer? Call in to listen live at 718.506.1545! The lines open at 12:00 for listeners. Callers can begin asking questions at 12:05.

Questions sent in via email are always welcome. We check our email constantly during the show. Contact us at voicesofhope@hopeforhealing.org. Not all emails may be read while the show is live. Some may be answered after the conclusion of the broadcast.

Follow Hope for Healing.Org on Twitter @gaylesglimpses for important reminders about an hour before the show airs. This is the personal Twitter account of Gayle Crabtree, host of Voices of Hope on Blog Talk Radio. Don't forget. All segments of are available as a free podcast download beginning about 20 minutes after the conclusion of the show. It's a great way to share the show with others who may benefit!

To learn more about Melody Brooke, MA click these links:

http://www.ohwowthischangeseverything.com/
http://www.lifebeyond.info
http://www.lifebeyond.info/blog/

Music for Voices of Hope on Blog Talk Radio is provided by Kevin MaCleod at Incompetech.Com

Open Mike Night on Voices of Hope on Blog Talk Radio

Join us at 8PM tonight  (Eastern time) for Voices of Hope on Blog Talk Radio. It's open mike night where we discuss what's on your mind. Calls are taken live. To phone in or listen live call 718.506.1545. Lines open at 8:05 pm.

Don't want your voice on the air? We understand that sexual and domestic violence is a touchy subject. Email your questions or comments to voicesofhope@hopeforhealing.org. This email address will be checked before, during and after the show. Some emails may be read online. Others may be answered privately.

Tweet it to your friends. Post it to Facebook. We'll look forward to having you with us on Voices of Hope on Blog Talk Radio at 8PM at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/hopeforhealing tonight!

About Hope for Healing.Org

Hope for Healing.org is a 501c3 nonprofit. Primarly, the organization is known for working with victims of sexual and domestic violence online. The website is also known as the Rape Recovery Help and Info Page. This work includes the main rape recovery website at www.hopeforhealing.org, groups for survivors, the Hope Quilt, plus a newsletter (now blog) and Blog Talk Radio Show - Voices of Hope, awareness raising for victims of sexual and domestic violence as well as peer-based networking.
When it comes to sexual and domestic violence we know that the victim is never at fault. We work hard to share the message of healing to others. This is done through the rape recovery website and through books. Gayle Crabtree has authored Does God Still Love Me?
and Secondhand Hope. Profits from the sales go into the organization.
Locally, Hope for Healing.Org offers many other services. Some of the programs offered include restorative justice for first time juvenile offenders, Angel Food distribution, small food pantry, support for victims of sexual and domestic violence and clergy training. Other needs may be met on an individual case-by-case basis.
In addition to rape recovery and domestic violence recovery Hope for Healing.org has also worked with the homeless in Strawberry Plains, Tennessee and Knoxville areas. In 2008 and 2009 they participated in the Jesus in the Park and other events.,Right now, Hope for Healing.org is looking for a new home in the area of Strawberry Plains, Tennessee. There is a lack of affordable buildings in the area that are in usable condition. After trying to make it work in their previous ministry center in Strawberry Plains for over a year, the organization recently closed and began looking for a new home.
Online operations are not affected. It is hoped that a new home will be found soon in Strawberry Plains, Tennessee so that the local work of Hope for Healing.org can continue with local victims of sexual and domestic violence, restoratiave justice and other local clients can continue.

A Client Request

We got a request today for a dresser and chest of drawers. A client was burned out of her home. Officially, Hope for Healing.Org has no base of operations. Because of a boatload of problems with the building and affordability we closed the mission center a few weeks ago. This has not stopped the calls from coming in for both household items and grocery help.

If you have a dresser and chest of drawers that you no longer want please let me know. Another client is in need of a stove and a refrigerator. Another client needed a bag of groceries but we were able to help with that.

What we can use most of anything is a new home. If your church has space and can sponsor an office for us please let us know. If your church has space for a ministry center that would be even better.

Thank you in advance for your help. You information can help our ministry center find a new  home and help change lives.

 Voices of Hope on Blog Talk Radio has an exciting show planned for Tuesday, Sept. 14 at 12Noon.

 

We'll joined by Melody Brooke,MA,LPC,LMFT, She is the author "Oh WOW this changes everything"

Voices of Hope Lunch Buffet listeners are in for a treat. If you can't get to a computer be sure to call into 718.506.1545 at 12Noon (Eastern Time). Questions can be emailed to voicesofhope@hopeforhealing.org. Some calls will be taken live on the air. This will be a great show. You won't want to miss it!

Be ready to Tweet your friends and tune in. This is a show that you won't want to miss! Click here to get more information or to join us. http://linkbee.com/voh 

Great Voices Of Hope Blog Talk Radio Show Tonight!

We had a great Voices of Hope on Blog Talk Radio tonight. Monday is open mike night. Survivors, family and friends can call in with whatever is on your mind. To talk on Voices of Hope on Blog Talk Radio just phone 718.506.1545. You can also listen live (which is great if you aren't near a computer).
Some people don't like to have their voice on the air. So, at Voices of Hope on Blog Talk Radio you can email us. Send any questions or comments to voicesofhope@hopeforhealing.org. We monitor this address throughout the show.
Our Voices of Hope Lunch Buffet on Blog Talk Radio airs on Tuesdays at 12Noon. This is a more formally structured show. In the past, we've had advocates, program directors and authors on the air. Of course, survivors, family and friends are welcome to tune in also. Use the same phone number as above.
We try to send out messages via Twitter. Follow us @gaylesglimpses.
Voices of Hope on Blog Talk Radio is one of the more successful radio shows. Tune in. Tell friends. Share the healing.
Got an idea or suggestion for Voices of Hope on Blog Talk Radio? Contact us at the email address above or leave a comment below. See you Mondays at 8PM or Tuesdays at 12Noon (Eastern time).

Sorority to Help us Prepare for Domestic Violence Clergy Training

On September 11, Chi Lambda Sigma from Carson-Newman College is going to help us prepare for a domestic violence clergy training. They will be pinning ribbons on cards for us to distribute at the training and stamping purple ribbons onto white bags.

Their efforts will help clergy from across East Tennessee, North Georgia and Western Virginia to be more aware of domestic violence resources. We greatly appreciate their help with this project.

iSearchiGive Helps Raise Money to Fight Domestic Violence

iSearchiGive users you have done it again! The funds you raised for the August 31, 2009 check from iGive is $28.55.Give yourselves a pat on the back! You have used iSearchiGive to raise money to fight domestic violence and improve the lives of the people we serve.

For those of you who do not know, iSearchiGive is a Yahoo powered search engine. Whenever you do a free search from this link you will donate .01 to Hope for Healing.org.

That may not sound like much but you can see that it adds up! Here's a link to a previous blog entry about getting our last check. This is going to be our third check that we have received this year. We are really excited about receiving it.

Plus, when you shop online through the iGive link and join a tiny portion of your purchases can help victims of domestic violence. iGive has lots of participating stores.

So far, I have personally donated to Hope for Healing.Org by:

Ordering a wireless router from Circuit City
Using Choice Hotels for vacation stays. I used the Econo Lodge, Quality Inn and Comfort Inn.
Purchasing business cards from Vistaprint
Using Amazon.Com to buy a book
And I've used iSearchigive as my internet search engine.

Downloading the free iGive toolbar made it easier to donate and to keep track of my donations. After downloading it the searchbox sits near the top of my browser. There is a window that helps me keep track of how much has been raised in all for Hope for Healing.Org. Really, it's a neat little gadget.

I hope that you will consider joining iGive or using iSearch. They are two free programs that make it easier to help victims of sexual and domestic violence. We appreciate it. Our clients appreciate it. I hope you sign up today.

Thanks so much!

Gayle Crabtree
Executive Director

Great show on Discussing Date Rape

We had a great show today on discussing date rape with your college student. This is a hard subject to tackle. Generally, the harder the subject is to talk about the more it needs to be discussed. The subject of date rape is sometimes known as "the elephant in the room". We all want our kids to be safe. But how can we expect them to be ok if we don't give them the information they need?

After the Voices of Hope show aired today on Blog Talk Radio I received a number of emails. Starting the ball rolling was the email from a listener who asked us to talk about alcohol and date rape on college campuses. Two more emails have come in since then that have asked for more information on date rape and college campuses and alcohol.

I don't want to convey the impression that college campuses are cess pools for date rape or alcohol consumption. That's not the case. More students will not be victimized than there are who will be victimized. But, there are long-term problems for those who do become victims of sexual assault or date rape on a college campus or otherwise.

Here are some links that will help you explore the alcohol and date rape connection:

http://www.shs.ilstu.edu/sexual_assault/date_rape/alcohol.shtml
http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh25-1/43-51.pdf
http://www.health.columbia.edu/docs/topics/sexual_violence/alcohol_assault.html
Free poster available for download from the Tennessee Coalition Against Sexual & Domestic Violence:
http://www.tnblue.org/posters/3.pdf  Other posters are available on their website here.

Support for victims of date rape is critical. That's why it is important for our kids to be armed with the information that they need. Talking with your student about date rape on college campus or sexual assault in general opens the doorway to talking about other things. It lets your student know that you are there for them no matter what and it reinforces that rape is never the fault of the victim.

Keep tuning into Voices of Hope Lunch Buffet on Blog Talk Radio. We'll have other shows that will deal with other topics surrounding domestic and sexual violence including date rape on college campuses. The specific url for today's segment is http://www.blogtalkradio.com/hopeforhealing/2009/09/01/Voices-of-Hope-Lunch-Buffet


Our email address to use is voicesofhope@hopeforhealing.org. The url for the show is http://www.blogtalkradio.com/hopeforhealing It airs on Mondays at 8PM and Tuesdays at 12Noon (Eastern time).

Thanks for the comments and suggestions. We love hearing from you and strive to offer the shows that you want to hear!

Voices of Hope Lunch Buffet on Blog Talk Radio airs at 12Noon today.

Our Voices of Hope internet radio show airs at 12 Noon today. We do this show each week to help break down the silence surrounding victims of domestic and sexual violence. Point your browser to http://www.blogtalkradio.com/hopeforhealing to listen. 
Shows are available to download as a free podcast beginning about 20 minutes after the conclusion of each broadcast. Callers may phone in live on the air or email questions or comments to voicesofhope@hopeforhealing.org
Our call in number for all shows is 718.506.1545. Lines open 5 minutes after each segment of Voices of Hope begins. A chat room feature is also available.
See you at 8PM on Mondays or 12Noon on Tuesdays, Eastern time.