How I Found Life in Dying to Myself
Before coming to Maggie’s Place almost two months ago, I don’t think I understood just how spoiled I truly was. I had enjoyed many beautiful trips, a wonderful college education, and generous support from all of my family and friends. I thanked God for these things...
A Place to Grow
Yesterday afternoon, I came home and there was a strange car in our parking lot. That actually happens pretty much every day, so I wasn’t alarmed or too concerned. Our house coverage volunteer informed me that a woman who used to live here had stopped by, and was in...
True Friendship
I just came back from an amazing retreat! The theme? True Friendship. We discovered what it meant to will the true well-being of another, even risking conflict, and to have that feeling be mutual between both individuals involved. Charity is something else though, it...
Building Maggie’s Thrift from the Ground up
I was given an empty building – with a lot of potential for a thrift store concept. It already had fresh paint, clean floors, and empty spaces. I had already scouted out the fixtures I wanted to buy or had been stock piling ones I got for free on Craigslist. Then came...
A Day in the Life
6:30 a.m. – A mom wakes me up to take her medication before heading out for the day. 7:20 a.m. – Another mom wakes me up to take her medication before going to work. 8:00 a.m. – It’s breakfast time! Corps and moms are in and out of the kitchen while everyone prepares...
There is something nice about just being…
There is something nice about just being. About enjoying the presence of the people around you. So many times, and I am largely guilty of this, people living together have their own agendas, their own to-do-lists, and their own interests. And those are all good things...
Learning to Embrace Change
For as long as I can remember, I have always strongly disliked change. I like things to be very predictable. My parents once threw me a surprise birthday party and as you can image, for someone who likes to know exactly what is happening at all times, that party ended...
Thank You
It is hard to believe that today is my last day serving at Maggie’s Place! This community has been so much more than my home for the past two years. My heart is full of gratitude for all the beautiful experiences I’ve had in my time here, and I would like to recognize...
Stepping Into the Unknown
As I prepare to leave Maggie’s Place after eight weeks, I have an abundance of thoughts running through my mind. Most of them consist of reminding myself not to cry, because I know the moms will make fun of me if I do, but I’m actually alright with that – I’m used to...
A Home Knit Together by Love
“Home is where the heart is.” As cliché as this saying has become in our society, its meaning is beyond measure. It means that home is not bound by walls or defined by familial ties. Home is not a stagnant place where you simply eat, sleep and breathe. Rather, home is...
The Seven Wonders of My World
“See the world” has always been my answer to the age old question, “What is your deepest desire?” When I was little it was my automated response to adults who were interested in what I wanted to do when I grew up. When I learned of bucket lists, after watching the...
Driven by Love
Moving from rural northern New York to my new suburban surroundings in Arizona took me a couple of months to get acclimated to the many changes I encountered, some of which I hadn’t fully anticipated. Slowly, I conquered one small hurdle after another - I got used to...
Remembering the Simple Things
I was recently visited by a friend I went to school with. A year ago she did mission work in Mexico and two weeks ago she graduated from college, just a couple of days before flying into Phoenix. It was so nice to catch up with each other and share with her a bit of...
The Core of a Crafter
To the outside world, I look completely normal, mentally stable and healthy. But inside there is a gnawing desire; it eats at me day and night, controlling my every thought. It’s a monster that takes control more often than not. I wake up at the kitchen table, paper...
A Mother’s Infinite Love
It has been nearly two years since I came to Maggie’s Place to serve as a MissionCorps, and during this time not a single day (or night) has gone by that I haven’t been struck by a mother’s love. It seems to me an almost supernatural ability the mothers have to...
Suffering with Jesus
Life at Maggie’s Place is hard—plain and simple. It's not hard because of the moms' backgrounds or their current situations that are lined with a million different frustrating scenarios. It's not hard because of the struggles of community life; like when it's your...
Let Love In
Many people expect to come and visit Maggie’s Place in order to serve our moms and babies. Those that serve want to give them love and support—which is good, but is it really the whole picture of what goes on at Maggie’s Place? After living here for a few months, I...
Joke’s on You!
This blog post was originally going to be about how the little, everyday moments are what make life at Maggie's Place wonderful. Nice, simple and a glimpse into daily life—done. However, while working on my post, it was getting late so I decided to head to bed before...
Love Takes Courage
All our moms at Maggie’s Place are courageous, there is no doubt about that. It requires great strength and determination to face the situations in their lives and come through with a smile on their face. I always tell people that nothing surprises me anymore at...
Why we Love
Maggie's Place is all about the love. Moms come to our homes for many reasons, but are always rooted in love for their child. Volunteers, donors and the local community support our mission out of love, charity and generosity. As MissionCorps, we spend our time and...