One of the most important lessons I've learned as a chaplain is that people rarely need just one thing. When someone arrives at Open House Ministries, they often need belonging. Many have experienced isolation, instability, broken trust, or the feeling that they have been forgotten. Being welcomed, known, and treated with dignity matters. Human beings are not meant to carry life's burdens alone. But belonging is rarely the whole story.
Over the years, I've sat with hundreds of individuals and families. What I've discovered is that beneath the practical needs for housing, employment, and stability are often deeper questions. Some people are asking questions of purpose. They want to know what their life is for. They are not simply looking for a place to stay. They are looking for a direction to walk. They want to contribute. They want to rebuild. They want to become the kind of person they were created to be. A warm welcome matters, but eventually they need a path forward.
Others are carrying the weight of fractured relationships. They may be wrestling with regret, resentment, addiction, estrangement, or years of painful choices. Their deepest need is not simply acceptance. They need reconciliation. They need opportunities to
make things right, repair trust, seek forgiveness, and begin again. This is one reason why housing alone is rarely enough. A person can have a roof over their head and still feel lost. They can be surrounded by people and still carry unresolved wounds. They can be welcomed into a community and still wonder what comes next.
Real change rarely comes from meeting a single need. People need a place to belong, but they also need meaningful work, healthy relationships, responsibility, and opportunities to grow. They need a reason to get up in the morning and a vision for the future that is larger than simply surviving another day.
Interestingly, belonging itself often grows out of these things. The strongest communities are not formed merely because people occupy the same space. They are formed when people share a common purpose, work toward common goals, and support one another through challenges. Belonging deepens when people begin building a life together.
This is why our work extends beyond providing shelter. Housing is essential, but it is not the finish line. Our goal is to help families move toward stability, purpose, and restoration. We want parents to rediscover confidence, children to experience security, and families to develop the tools they need to thrive long after they leave our campus.
Everyone needs a place to belong. But people flourish when they also have a purpose to pursue, relationships to restore, and hope for the future. • Chaplain Jon Nichols
Chaplain's Corner
Housing is not the finish line
Jenn first learned about Open House Ministries through a contact at Emergency Support Shelter in Longview, Washington. Jenn was receiving help for addiction at the time when she met Laurie Russo, who was working with the treatment program. When Laurie shared the Open House Ministries shelter information with her, Jenn contacted the shelter right away and added her name to the waitlist.
Ministries has changed me,” said Jenn. “I’ve been able to maintain my sobriety while getting to know myself, building a strong and solid foundation.”
Jenn is especially grateful for her case manager, Audrey Holmes. “She’s always been there for me,” said Jenn. “I thank God for making OHM my residence where people truly care about me.” Her gratitude was also expressed by Audrey, who said how inspirational Jenn has been as she gives back to Open House Ministries for all she’s been blessed with.
“Open House Ministries is a one-of-a-kind place,” said Jenn. “It’s changed my life and my son’s life, even though he doesn’t live here with me. It has been an amazing opportunity because other people believed in me, even when I struggled to believe in myself.”
Jenn’s life has changed so much since she lived in Longview and her time in treatment. Now Jenn is working at Open House Ministries, recently hired for a position at the shelter front desk. We are so excited for Jenn. Her passion for living a life in Christ is a blessing to us all. Please pray for her and her son as she continues to grow in hope and grace.
Growing in Hope & Grace
After completing and graduating treatment,
Jenn transferred to an Oxford House in Kelso,
Washington, and waited for a space to open
up at the shelter. Jenn shared how grateful she
was when space became available at Open
House Ministries. “I remember moving in
and seeing my apartment for the first time,”
she said. “It had such a big impact on me after
being homeless and on my own.”
Jenn quickly settled in. She shared how
much she appreciated the program and talked
about how much she learned from the classes.
She was encouraged when she received an
OHM Value Award and excelled while helping
Lori Richardson in the donations department
and in the thrift store.
One of the highlights of Jenn’s time in the
program was attending the Radiant Hope
Women’s Retreat at Skamania Lodge. She
joined a small group of residents, her case
manager, and other staff from Open House
Ministries who gathered for a weekend to
learn about living in the fullness of joy as
Christians.
Jenn expressed how her whole experience at
Open House Ministries has been supportive.
How she’s grown closer to God and built a
strong relationship with Him. And in March of this year, Jenn was baptized along with other residents in a celebration of a new life in Christ. “Living at Open House