Through the Eyes of Love was created by Deborah in 2001, performed in a very small venue without lighting, staging or special effects. The message in Through The Eyes of Love is truly what Reach Out America is all about; God has a heart for the lost, the broken, the hurting and the lonely, and He needs us to accomplish the task of carrying His love to the world.

Carl and Maggie Conti were taking a mid-day nap, oblivious to any danger until a knock on the door awakened them. A fire was bearing down on their home, and the area was being evacuated. Not believing they would lose their home, the Conti family left with only a handful of items. Two weeks later, when they were allowed to return, reality hit. They had lost everything they owned and were left with nothing. While they were there, a group of women offered to pray with them and told them about the Austin Disaster Relief Network, (ADRN) a Christ – centered organization that was spearheading a relief effort for everyone who had lost their homes in the fire.

Visit Deborah’s website for pictures and videos of the fire, the Conti family, and ADRN’s network of volunteers; and find out a special way you can help.

Pam was so addicted to prescription drugs and alcohol that she lost everything she had, including her home and her children. Later she almost died, but it wasn’t until she spent 5 months in jail that she finally looked up and cried out insurrender. She was led to House of Glory, a Christ-centered home for women, where she encountered love, community, and the transforming power of Christ that set her free. Join us and hear this story of hope, restoration and a bright future.

Suppose you lost everything in a devastating  fire that took your home and all your belongings while you were over a thousand miles away? What feelings would flood your being at receiving the devastating news? Perhaps you are among those who have had such a loss, and don’t know where to turn?

Charlotte Glenn is a very brave woman who lost everything in the fire that took over 1,500 homes in Bastrop, Texas while her beloved husband was in the hospital fighting for his life. People from her church, Promiseland West in Austin, Texas, rallied to help her, joined by many other caring people in her neighborhood and surrounding areas. This support made all the difference in how she was able to get through her tragedy and kept her from feeling hopeless and alone.

Although she is still grieving, Charlotte says she is so thankful for the way God used His people to reach out to her family in such a desperate time of need, and does not know how she would have gotten through it without the love and compassion the many people showed her as they came alongside of her, helping her with the many overwhelming needs she had as a result of the fire. This episode will inspire you at so many levels as you listen to this heart-wrenching story of tragedy and triumph.

The following is a video produced by the Austin Disaster Relief Network (ADRN), an organization that has been instrumental in helping many people after the Bastrop, Texas fire claimed over 1,500 homes. Watch for the second episode about the Bastrop fire and the Austin Disaster Relief Network, Finding God in the Midst of Disaster.

Strong Foundation Ministries www.strongfoundation.org from Michael Schocker on Vimeo.

Everywhere we go we see people who are homeless and without direction. There are many reasons for homelessness from job loss to drugs, but all too often entire families find themselves in homeless shelters. This story is about a family in a desperate situation who met up with the founder of a very unique homeless shelter called Strong Foundation, and with their help and encouragement, embarked on a completely different path that led them into a brand new, fulfilling life.

Veronica Arcos was a woman who was imprisoned. She was imprisoned by the childhood abuse she suffered, by her fears and addictions, and finally, she was imprisoned by the state of Arizona. Journey with me into the life of Veronica as I tell the story of her seemingly hopeless life that went from bad to worse until her life took an unexpected turn in a new direction.

Veronica amazingly beat the odds and her addictions, and was given a LifePlan with the help of an incredible organization called The Open Table, whose mission is “To restore impoverished families and neighborhoods to stability and wholeness, one at a time.” Veronica’s story will encourage and inspire the hopeless to believe there is hope, and the rest of us to realize our own potential to be the healing hands that so many desperately need.