“And every prayer we prayed in desperation, The songs of faith we sang through doubt and fear…” These lyrics have been the prayer of my heart recently. I’ve been asking God: Do You still move like You did before? Can You really provide when the need feels too big to name?
Nearly 2 years ago when Lower Lights Ministries opened the Child Enrichment Center (CEC), it didn’t make sense to many. We were told it wasn’t a smart investment—an early learning center on a block with a tough reputation? In a building that once had black mold? Serving families facing significant challenges?
And yet, I’m reminded of Jeremiah 32. God tells the prophet to buy a field in the middle of a war zone. Why? Because it was a sign that God was still working, still redeeming, still saying: “I’m not done yet.”
This Fall, I’ve been reflecting on the life of George Müller. His mission wasn’t only to care for orphans—it was to testify to the faithfulness of God through visible proof that He provides for His children. Real needs met in real ways through prayer.
For the past two years, my answer to “Why did you start the CEC?” has been simple: Because God cares about children and families. While that remains true, the Lord has revealed another layer. The CEC is visible proof—right here on the west side of Columbus—that God still moves, still provides, and still answers prayer. And He is strengthening faith in the process, mine included.
There are days when the needs feel overwhelming: children with developmental delays and behavioral struggles, parents striving against generational barriers, staff carrying heavy burdens alongside our families.
And then, God makes a way.
A teacher arrives with the exact qualifications we prayed for. A financial gift comes just in time. New moms in our Lower Lights Family Housing program can attend college classes and know that their babies are being cared for.
This week, churches across the South Central Ohio District provided nearly $5,000 to support women and families in our three supportive housing programs and those served at the CEC as they navigate the SNAP benefit gap. In borrowing words from another newsletter writer, “Thanks be to God for blessing us abundantly, so that in all things, at all times, having all that we need, we can abound in every good work.”
As a Nazarene Compassionate Ministry Center, we are grateful to partner with the Church—training and equipping ministry leaders from all backgrounds, providing supportive housing for women families, and being Christ’s reconciling presence in our world.
For more information about Lower Lights Ministries and our programs, please visit our website at lowerlights.org. You can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
Emmalyn Jerome
Executive Director
Lower Lights Ministries
Leave a Reply