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Mission of Mercy: Allowing God to Use YOU to Make a Difference in Others
When we see people the way God sees and love the way He loves--without judgment--we can have lasting impact in the lives of others.
Do you have trouble understanding where some people are coming from? Do you find yourself wondering why people do what they do? Nancy Alcorn spent eight years working for the state at a correctional facility for juvenile delinquent girls and investigating child abuse cases, giving her direct encounters with programs that were not producing permanent results of changed lives. Determined to establish a program in which lives would truly be transformed, Nancy started Mercy Ministries of America.
In Mission of Mercy Alcorn challenges readers to consider why people behave the way they do, sharing the practical principles that have made Mercy Ministries a success at life transformation. Illustrated by the moving, inspiring testimonies of real women, she demonstrates how we can move from a place of judgment to compassion that leads to action.
Do you have trouble understanding where some people are coming from? Do you find yourself wondering why people do what they do? Nancy Alcorn spent eight years working for the state at a correctional facility for juvenile delinquent girls and investigating child abuse cases, giving her direct encounters with programs that were not producing permanent results of changed lives. Determined to establish a program in which lives would truly be transformed, Nancy started Mercy Ministries of America.
In Mission of Mercy Alcorn challenges readers to consider why people behave the way they do, sharing the practical principles that have made Mercy Ministries a success at life transformation. Illustrated by the moving, inspiring testimonies of real women, she demonstrates how we can move from a place of judgment to compassion that leads to action.
- GenresNonfictionChristian
256 pages, Paperback
First published May 7, 2013
8 people are currently reading
73 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 3, 2018
Love what Nancy stands for. Book wasn't that great, sorry to say.
June 19, 2013
In Mission of Mercy, Nancy Alcorn was very transparent in sharing the details of her rough childhood and what lead her to founding Mercy Ministries. Nancy Alcorn minored in social services, psychology, and criminal justice in college. At the time, she didn't know that she would be using all of these background skills in helping young women in an organization that she began. Mercy Ministries helps thirteen to twenty-eight years old women that struggle with eating disorders, cutting, sexual abuse, drug addiction, suicidal victims, and pregnant teenagers. They take in young women for a period of six months in their homes around the United States and they have a few homes overseas. They guide them in learning about God, and they assist them in healing from their past, and they instill hope back into these young women's lives. An enormous point Nancy reminds readers of there is a story behind every single person and we're not called to be the judge over their life. Instead we're supposed to love them and display compassion. The book included many personal transformation stories that Mercy has contributed to in the journey of freedom of these women.
Nancy Alcorn has to endure pain in her own life. One day at school, she remembered being called out of class by the principal assistant. She noticed that her one brother and her three sisters were all heading down the hallway to the office. They were all waiting to be picked up from school by their aunt. She recalled that thirty minutes early, she heard sirens and it was very rare for their small town. She felt that something terrible has happened and she worried it was her parents or her little sister, Beverly. While she waited for her aunt to arrive, she kept replaying in her mind how she treated her little sister the night before. She was practicing basketball and didn't want to be bothered and she called her sister a brat and told her to get lost. She heard Beverly crying herself to sleep. Little did, Nancy know the horrible events that would unfold the next day. When they finally got home, her mom's sister explained to the children what happened. Her dad was on the tractor and it got stuck and her mom helped pull the tractor with the truck. Her dad had Beverly on the tractor with him. The tractor and the truck jackknifed and her body was crushed between the steering wheel and his chest. Beverly was killed instantly and her dad broke all of his ribs due to the dramatic force. Nancy Alcorn revealed her struggle with her fears of losing more people that she truly cared about. During the next few years, she also lost her pastor and his wife in a car accident, then her boyfriend was killed because he was drinking drunk. Lost was following her around and she had trouble coping and she didn't understand why God was allowing all these bad things to happen to the people she loved. Her past gave her the building blocks to where she is today. She also admitted to receiving Christian counseling to help her process her emotions and feelings.
The book also had an additional appendix in the book that contained more stories from Mercy Ministries graduates. Throughout the stories, the readers get to read and experience in their own words what these girls have been through. The stories are very real and eye opening in the healing process and the hope they found in Christ.
I would recommend this magnificent life captivating book to anyone who is needing some inspiration and encouragement from others people's stories. This book will help readers to understand that judging others in their struggles and challenges they have encountered in their life isn't supportive. There were countless stories about women who struggled with depression, had suicidal thoughts, were bulimic or anorexic, some were raped, others grieving, drug addictions, and some were pregnant and alone. The stories the young women presented in this book has been through is truly heartbreaking and appalling. I immensely enjoyed reading about how Mercy Ministries is serving our teenage women in discovering the freedom that Christ offers and they show them the love of Christ. I also believe that they should be a ministry like Mercy Ministries for young men as well that is needing extra help in obtaining liberty. Nancy Alcorn is an astonishing writer and I loved how she described her own personal pain especially when it was difficult. If you're looking for an excellent book written to help teenagers and adults, then this is a great one on showing mercy to others in dealing with their pain from their past!
"I received this book for free from The Booketeria/ Charisma House for this review".
Nancy Alcorn has to endure pain in her own life. One day at school, she remembered being called out of class by the principal assistant. She noticed that her one brother and her three sisters were all heading down the hallway to the office. They were all waiting to be picked up from school by their aunt. She recalled that thirty minutes early, she heard sirens and it was very rare for their small town. She felt that something terrible has happened and she worried it was her parents or her little sister, Beverly. While she waited for her aunt to arrive, she kept replaying in her mind how she treated her little sister the night before. She was practicing basketball and didn't want to be bothered and she called her sister a brat and told her to get lost. She heard Beverly crying herself to sleep. Little did, Nancy know the horrible events that would unfold the next day. When they finally got home, her mom's sister explained to the children what happened. Her dad was on the tractor and it got stuck and her mom helped pull the tractor with the truck. Her dad had Beverly on the tractor with him. The tractor and the truck jackknifed and her body was crushed between the steering wheel and his chest. Beverly was killed instantly and her dad broke all of his ribs due to the dramatic force. Nancy Alcorn revealed her struggle with her fears of losing more people that she truly cared about. During the next few years, she also lost her pastor and his wife in a car accident, then her boyfriend was killed because he was drinking drunk. Lost was following her around and she had trouble coping and she didn't understand why God was allowing all these bad things to happen to the people she loved. Her past gave her the building blocks to where she is today. She also admitted to receiving Christian counseling to help her process her emotions and feelings.
The book also had an additional appendix in the book that contained more stories from Mercy Ministries graduates. Throughout the stories, the readers get to read and experience in their own words what these girls have been through. The stories are very real and eye opening in the healing process and the hope they found in Christ.
I would recommend this magnificent life captivating book to anyone who is needing some inspiration and encouragement from others people's stories. This book will help readers to understand that judging others in their struggles and challenges they have encountered in their life isn't supportive. There were countless stories about women who struggled with depression, had suicidal thoughts, were bulimic or anorexic, some were raped, others grieving, drug addictions, and some were pregnant and alone. The stories the young women presented in this book has been through is truly heartbreaking and appalling. I immensely enjoyed reading about how Mercy Ministries is serving our teenage women in discovering the freedom that Christ offers and they show them the love of Christ. I also believe that they should be a ministry like Mercy Ministries for young men as well that is needing extra help in obtaining liberty. Nancy Alcorn is an astonishing writer and I loved how she described her own personal pain especially when it was difficult. If you're looking for an excellent book written to help teenagers and adults, then this is a great one on showing mercy to others in dealing with their pain from their past!
"I received this book for free from The Booketeria/ Charisma House for this review".
September 30, 2022
But God.
That is what this book is about. A story of one woman whom God gave beauty for ashes, who in turn believed in other girls and women who were labeled hopeless cases and helped them to find beauty for ashes as well.
The concept of mercy is close to my heart, which is why I picked this up off of the shelf at Goodwill. That was no accident. I needed to read these stories to help me to encourage others. I already have people whom I will share this book.
Providentially, I am reading John right now. Jesus too cared about the hurting, the suffering, the outcast. He changed their lives, and He is still changing lives.
Hallelujah!
That is what this book is about. A story of one woman whom God gave beauty for ashes, who in turn believed in other girls and women who were labeled hopeless cases and helped them to find beauty for ashes as well.
The concept of mercy is close to my heart, which is why I picked this up off of the shelf at Goodwill. That was no accident. I needed to read these stories to help me to encourage others. I already have people whom I will share this book.
Providentially, I am reading John right now. Jesus too cared about the hurting, the suffering, the outcast. He changed their lives, and He is still changing lives.
Hallelujah!
August 5, 2014
My friend bought me this as a gift. I read it within hours. It was so amazingly moving! Every girl who told her story in this book is my hero. Including Nancy Alcorn. Go tell your story... It will change the world!!!
October 26, 2013
This is a very good truthful book. A lot of testimonies and healing by God and Mercy Ministries. Thank God Nancy Alcorn listened to God for the path of her life!
February 17, 2014
Great book for anyone in nonprofit ministry! Helps you to see the WHY behind the WHAT of people's hurting and self-destructive behavior.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews