“It just seemed like, through all that time, the Lord was with me. Each door opening was an opportunity for me to get out of there. I just felt God’s presence throughout everything. I feel like He is the one who brought me here,” states Marbel.

She had been betrayed by the man who said he loved her. After years of verbal, relational, and physical abuse, Marbel reached out to the Lighthouse for safety. “I tried to change him,” she said, “but it was really I who needed to change.” After an intense, terrifying episode, Marbel knew it was the “last straw.” Her kids had been taken away; her safety was compromised. Hope for the future was teetering on the brink of extinction. She went to the Lighthouse shelter and soon after, was accepted into the Life Recovery Program.

“I’ve always struggled with giving things over to the Lord…I wanted to be in control. Now, I can give it over to Him and trust Him. Now, the way I see it is, I will try to do what I can and leave the rest up to God. I lost everything and now that I think about it, it doesn’t even matter. What matters most is that I am loved, am safe, and have hope now.”

Not only that, but Marbel is growing. With a big smile, she says, “The best feeling about being here is knowing I can give God control over my life. Now, I am learning how to have healthy boundaries and I get to see my kids.”

With gratitude in her heart, Marbel says, “Thank you for providing all the needs here right down to the most basic.” Thanks for giving to the Lighthouse and allowing us to be a beacon of love, safety, and hope in a dangerous world.