Our Story
The Beginning
Recently I pulled out an old retired Bible and read something that brought tears to my eyes. On one of the back pages I had written down on the date 6/25/99. Under the date I had written these words, “Today I sowed a seed for a home for women”. In the years leading up to that day in 1999, I had been able to minister to women in many places and I have always noticed that many women who had an intense desire to change the direction of their lives often were forced to return back to the same environment that had fostered their problem to begin with. Some of the girls actually had no place to return to and went directly to a life on the street. I knew that God had a better way and that it would take effort of people ready to follow God’s instructions.
The Need, Part 1
Our county currently has no shelter or home for women in crisis, yet everyone recognizes the extreme need for just such a place. Hardee County is still ranked #1 in teen pregnancies and over 50% of all births in the country come from unwed mothers.
Violent crimes in Hardee County went up by over 18% between 2004 and 2005 according to statistics found on the website of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Very often illegal drugs are involved and instigate these horrific abuses. Such problems do not correct themselves. It takes lifestyle changes and it takes people helping people. Now the opportunity has arrived for you and I to start doing something about it. The broken cannot fix themselves.
The Vision
Eight years later God is answering that prayer from 1999 with the opening of Lydia’s House. The home will welcome women coming from many different situations, such as women who are coming out of jails or prisons, women from the streets, women from rehabilitation centers, women that are battered and abused, and unwed and expecting mothers. Lydia’s House will provide a starting point for women ready to change their lives and to move forward from the bad decisions that have marked their past.
The Need, Part 2
Lydia’s House will not accept government grants or other financial assistance that may restrict us in any way from teaching the Bible. We also will not charge any of the women accepted in the program at Lydia’s House a fee. Women will be placed into Lydia’s House because they have a deep desire to change the direction of their lives, not because of their resources. Lydia’s House is currently undergoing costly renovations to prepare for our opening to come soon. Already many businesses and individuals have given sacrificially to this project but the need is still great. If the Lord places it on your heart to give or to help, please be obedient, and rest assured that He will honor your gift. We are a 501c3 ministry and all donations are tax deductible.
The Focus
Lydia’s House is a Christian home/program designed to assist and train women who need help transitioning back into society. Women will have an opportunity to learn, to grow, and develop into productive citizens. We believe and unashamedly teach that Jesus Christ is the answer to alcoholism, immorality, drug addictions, pornography, and other destructive behaviors. We believe and teach that the Bible is our one source for the absolute truth. It is the Living Word of God of our Father and within it we find all of the necessary instructions needed to live a fruitful and meaningful life. We believe it is our responsibility to use the talents and the gifts that God has endowed us with to reach out and touch others less fortunate. If this world in which we live is ever going to be a safe and worthwhile place for our children, their children, and even their children’s children, then we must not delay. Now is the time to start rebuilding the broken lives all around us.