This past Tuesday, February 11th, In His Steps expanded our Intervention Ministry in the area detention centers. We welcomed Mrs. Rosemary Bryant on as a mentor in the female youth detention centers, who has been serving with In His Steps for the past several years. Mrs. Rosemary was first referred to In His Steps by her pastor because she was searching for a ministry that specifically served women. After getting in touch with Reverend and Mrs. Bacon, Mrs. Rosemary saw how In His Steps was deeply impacting the Canton community and knew this was where she was meant to serve.
At the beginning of the new year, Mrs. Rosemary began asking In His Steps how she could serve with us more consistently. The Lord had been working on Reverend Bacon’s heart to expand the Intervention Ministry, and Mrs. Rosemary seemed like an answer to prayer. When asked why she felt led to work with the girls’ youth detention center, Mrs. Rosemary said, “When I talked to Reverend Bacon about the young juvenile offenders who were girls, my heart went out to them because I knew they didn’t have anyone speaking life into them, and I knew that I could do that.” Mrs. Rosemary shared that she came from a small town where many of the young kids didn’t have positive mentors in their lives. “No one wants to help those who don’t have anything, and knowing that, I started to ask myself, “how can I give back from my own experience?””
Tuesday February 11th, Rosemary, accompanied by the Bacons, made her first visit to the girls’ youth detention center. In her words, “It was awesome. It was awesome because I didn’t know what to expect, but all I could see were the beautiful smiles on these girls’ faces and they were so receptive.” Rosemary entered into this new opportunity knowing that these girls had made a mistake somewhere in their lives, but that her primary purpose was to ask, “How can they be encouraged and loved now? How can compassion be poured out on them so that when we walk out of there, it will resonate with them that somebody out here cares?”
While at the detention center, Rosemary ministered to four girls, individually encouraging them through conversation and getting to know them. She shared 1 John 2:2 with the girls and explained that Jesus loves them and that He died because of that love for them. Rosemary told the girls, “You are somebody, God has a purpose for you and you can start again, but it’s your choice. Nobody is able to force you to love God.” She then gave all four girls their own Bible and asked if she could pray with them, and the girls readily agreed.
With such an amazing first visit, we can’t wait to see how the Lord will continue to move through Rosemary as she loves these girls at the detention center. We believe He is doing great things in the Jackson metro area, so join with us in prayer as we expand this area of In His Steps Ministries. We also hope you’ll be encouraged by Rosemary’s willingness to see the need and meet the need that was directly in front of her! Message or call In His Steps to find out more about how you can volunteer with us!
