A Love Story – Nampa, Idaho
When Kelly and Renee first came to Love INC of Treasure Valley in Nampa, Idaho, they were separated and uncertain about the future of their marriage. Addictive behaviors were destroying their relationship, and their financial situation was dire. Their futures and the futures of their five children were at risk.
They were not sure what help Love INC could provide, but they had reached the end of all hope, and they knew that it would take a total transformation of their lives and circumstances to recover from where they were. They had heard remarkable stories of others who had found help through Love INC, and it was just enough to keep the tiniest bit of hope alive. The first thing Lois Tupyi, Love INC executive director, encouraged them to do was to fight for their marriage. "We needed hope that there was something to fight for," Kelly said. Lois invited them to participate in Love INC's Relational Ministry Program.
Kelly and Renee began budget counseling with Lloyd, a volunteer mentor trained by and assigned to them through Love INC. "Our relationship with Lloyd created the kind of honesty and accountability we needed," said Renee. "It was not always an easy journey," Kelly recalled. "We had to learn to communicate, to be accountable to each other and to Christian leaders, and how to sacrifice for the good of our family."
In their first year of budget counseling, Kelly and Renee paid off their debts and doubled their giving to their church. They participated in a Christian addiction recovery program and sought marriage counseling. They forgave each other, and God restored their love for one another.
Lois says the help Kelly and Renee found through Love INC is kingdom work in its purest form on earth. "Broken people need restoration," she said, "and I believe it is only found in God's Church. So many caring Christians come together to serve these families-teachers, mentors, prayer warriors, child care providers, and the hundreds of people who donate products and services as they work toward health. Through Love INC, God takes our individual gifts and weaves them together to work transformation in His people."