Podcast: Play in new window
Homelessness: It Can Happen to Anyone.
The loss of a job, an illness, or catastrophic event can quickly lead to missed rent or mortgage payments and ultimately, to eviction or foreclosure. Many people exit homelessness quickly, but many more individuals become homeless every day.
Many top celebrities (Steve Harvey, Suze Orman, Tyler Perry, Halle Berry) experienced homelessness while pursuing their passion. Now more than ever people are jumping in with both feet to pursue their dreams and most are without health insurance or adequate savings to cover and recover from medical emergencies.
Natural disasters displace people annually by destroying their homes and everything they own. Remember Katrina?
Homelessness doesn’t mean hopelessness. Many have rebounded to become very successful because they never gave up and someone gave them a chance.
Several guests will talk about how they became homeless and how they recovered; why we need to change our perspectives about homelessness; what are the best ways to help; and much more.
Karla Graham of Access Housing, Inc. helps homeless veterans re-establish their independence, Blair Copeland of Carpenter’s Shelter works to address the various needs of the homeless, Ray Breeding went from homelessness to ordainment, and Vernon Montgomery went from homelessness to gainful employment and is now pursuing his dreams as a writer.
“You can’t really understand another person’s experience until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes.”
It’s becoming more difficult to be homeless in the United States. In nearly 43 percent of U.S. cities, you can be arrested for sleeping in your car, sitting on a curb, or begging in certain public areas. Stigmas against the homeless are widespread.
Banks are considered too big to fail, but why is it okay to allow children to go without a place to lay their heads at night? 
How can we help on an individual level? What can the homeless do to ensure that they will not find themselves in the same predicament?
We address these questions and more in this episode.
Proverbs 19:17 “Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.”
Deuteronomy 15:7-8 “If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be.”
Matthew 5:42 “Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.”