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My Story by Shawna

3/19/2018

3 Comments

 
After being in 13 foster homes from the age of 4, I aged out of foster care at 17 years old with no support or any idea of what to do next.  From 17 years old until my adult age, my life was very unstable.  I moved from place to place or shelter to shelter.  Although being a very smart and ambitious woman, I was forced to put my education on hold to support myself.  At the age of 27, with God's help, I was able to break away from an abusive relationship.
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​I am 28 years old now and am 7 months pregnant.  About 2 months ago, I had no idea how I would be able to support my baby boy financially.  I knew, without having had completed school and working a minimum wage job, things would be very hard and in some sense, impossible.
God showed me that He had a higher plan for me and directed me to New Beginnings: A Home for Mothers.  I have been here for a little over a month and have started parenting classes twice a week, have developed a healthier relationship with God (through church and devotion), and have signed up to attend school to complete my accounting degree starting this summer.  Without the worries of having no roof over my head, I not only have been able to focus on my education goals, but also on my parenting skills, and my health as well.  With no more self-doubt, I am very optimistic about our future!
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Allesundrea (Shawna) joined the New Beginnings Family February 2018.  She is expecting a baby boy in May.  She plans on going to school and get her degree in accounting.

3 Comments

Why We Do What We Do

2/28/2018

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Do you ever wonder if you really make a difference?  Those volunteer hours that you put in or that money that you donate to help support New Beginnings, does it really matter?  How can that help possibly make a difference? 

​​It Does!
A resident has graduated from the New Beginnings Program!  It is all because of God's love working through your help and support!  Here is Letisha's story and letter to all of you who have helped her along the way:
Dear Supporters of New Beginnings, 
​

I am honored to write this letter. I came here to Milwaukee, and low and behold I found a great family with the staff of New Beginnings. 

Since joining the New Beginnings Family I have began to find a closer relationship with God, my child has gained many new aunts with staff, and I know I have friends for life. 

My growth here at New Beginnings is only through God’s Grace. Although rough at times this experience has only helped me grow as a mother, a Christian, friend, and soon to be wife. My now fiancé James Greyer also grew and gained much respect for New Beginnings and Staff. Because he was able to trust that his son and I would be in good hands he was able to go to school to get his CDL while also getting his life back on track. 

Because of my experience here at New Beginnings I have began taking Bible Information classes so that I will be able to join the Lutheran church and extend my volunteering for New Beginnings. More than anything I plan to give back to this great organization that saved my family from sin, along with God’s help. I truly believe that God worked through this foundation. 

My fiancé and I will be moving into our new apartment. We will also be married at Saint Marcus Church. But the best thing about all of this is the relationship that has grown with Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. 

Because of the daily devotions and one on one Bible studies I was able to learn about God, Son, and Holy Spirit. 

For that I will forever be grateful. Although I made some mistakes along the way again New Beginnings was right there to help me get back on track, for the first time in a very long time I feel like I’m headed in the right direction and New Beginnings along with God are cheering me on. 

Gratefulness is all that is flowing in my heart, and by myself volunteering at New Beginnings I hope to give as much as they gave me back to another mom. 

​Thanks, Letisha 
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Thank you for everything you do!

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Letisha joined the New Beginnings Family in January of 2017 and had her son in May 2017.  She is pursuing her education while making God and her children the center of her world.  She has since graduated from the program but will continue in her journey as part of the New Beginnings Volunteer Family.

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New Beginnings Family

1/24/2018

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​“You never get a second chance to make a first impression.”  Have you heard this quote before?  Do you believe this?  I often forget the first impressions.  I don’t even remember how I meet people sometimes.  I’m not alone.  I asked coworkers and friends what their first impression of me was.  Some said that they don’t remember. I have gotten a variety of other answers ranging from quiet, to forward and fun. I asked a couple of the residents at New Beginnings what their first impression of the program here.  Letisha said that when she looked up our website, she was amazed at how great the program sounded.  As she got here from Florida, she thought that the fact that we do so much to help the mothers and that we allow them to stay so long was fantastic.  Nayari said that she felt that everybody was a little too nice and that the program was a little too much.
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​Do your impressions change as you get to know someone?  Most often, it is the second or third interaction that help us form an opinion of who some one is.  I had asked Letisha if her impression of the program at New Beginnings was any different once she started in the program.  She honestly said that nothing had changed and that if anything, it had just gotten better and Nayari said that she started to feel more comfortable with the residents and staff.  Nayari also said that the program got easier as she started getting into it and that New Beginnings isn't just a program, but a family that eats together and talks together also.

​So, when does a good relationship actually start?  It slowly develops over time through trust and commitment.  We all have friends, and even friends that we consider family.  These are the people who will take us through our good days, bad days, and accept and love us as if they were family.  That is our goal with the mothers who come into the New Beginnings' program.  There is a reason why we call it the New Beginnings Family.  Letisha has been here over a year and she has developed a great relationship with New Beginnings.  She has a good relationship with staff and has proved herself as a positive mentor with the other residents.  When I asked her what she thinks of New Beginnings now that she has been here that long and become a Phase 2 resident, she said that it is everything that she wanted and needed and that she "will have something to say if anybody talks bad about New Beginnings."  Nayari, who has been here over two months said that she now thinks "that the staff is very supportive and they push us (in a loving way) to do better in life and get goals completed so we can be set for life, our future, and our kids."
So what drives us?  How do we build that relationship and trust?  Is it our doing?  No!  It is to God's Glory that we help these mothers and their children.  It was He who commanded us in His Word.  "We love because He first loved us." - 1 John 4:19  "Share with the Lord's people who are in need.  Practice hospitality." - Romans 12:13  God also tells us "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." - Galatians 6:2  This is what drives us and through His Grace, we can help these young women grow closer to Him. First impressions sometimes are not always how they initially seem, but overtime can develop into something beyond what we can imagine!
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Christina Pritzlaff is married with two children. She has completed Early Childhood 1 & 2 classes, Infant Toddler classes, and completed the coursework for her Associates degree in Child Development. Christina splits her time between spending time with her family and working at New Beginnings. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her children, camping, fishing, reading, and doing counted cross-stitch.

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Resident Blog by Letisha

1/17/2018

1 Comment

 


​Hi, my name is Letisha, and I am so excited to share my news, and upcoming events and accomplishments with you.  Recently, my son Jamis was baptized at St. Marcus Lutheran Church, which is a WELS church in Milwaukee. I was so looking forward to that, and now I can rest easy because Jamis has been washed by the waters of holy baptism. I consider that to be a huge accomplishment.​
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Jamis has been Baptized!
Celebrating Jamis' Baptism
James asks Letisha to be his wife!
Letisha brings Jamis home from the hospital
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Letisha and James in love!


​Also, I am looking forward to getting married at St. Marcus in the upcoming months. I am now in the planning process of that. I am also, along with my fiancé, attending marriage counseling with Pastor Paul Steinberg.​


​Last and finally, I am also planning to join the WELS Church so that I can be more actively involved and give back to New Beginnings, as it such a wonderful organization that absolutely changed my life. I believe in this program and am very extremely proud to be a part of it.
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Letisha did a great job speaking at the 2017 Convention
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Letisha joined the New Beginnings Family in January of 2017 and had her son in May 2017.  She is pursuing her education while making God and her children the center of her world.

1 Comment

Many Facets of Being A Mom

7/26/2017

0 Comments

 
In this blog, our New Beginning’s resident moms, and others, are sharing some of their struggles, joys, and how they balance the realities of motherhood.  This blog is about wanting to give support to you and one another, and learning from each other. As Dr. Benjamin Spock said, “Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do.”   
Keeping in mind that it helps to have a sense of humor about the hardest and greatest job in the world, here are some answers to some typical parenting questions. 
​My biggest parenting success:  Giving all the love my children can handle.  Seeing my baby hit those developmental milestones, for example, when my child started walking.  The day I, at the same time, collapsed my stroller, held my baby, and carried a bag of groceries!  The day I ran out of diapers, got inventive, and discovered that using Viva paper towel to diaper my baby, really worked!    
My favorite “me time” indulgences:  Having “shower time” after baby is asleep.  Doing my hair, doing homework, cleaning, talking on the phone, all these daily activities that I use to take for granted, have become indulgences with baby here. 
My best day as a mom: Seeing my baby playing, having fun.  When my child was potty trained.  Giving my child a great Christmas. 
My worst day as a mom:  When my children are sick.  When there is a discipline problem.  Failed naps. Whining. When I can’t seem to get any sleep.
My best moment of the week:  Bed time.  Seeing my baby’s goofy smile really brightens my day.  When my baby holds up her arms so I’ll pick her up. 
​We hope you have been encouraged by this blog, and don’t forget to bestow your stories on others too.  You never know if what you have to say is just what someone needs to hear.  
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Karen O'Leary is the the Program Manager at New Beginnings. She has her BA in Bible Theology and her Masters of Divinity. She has 8-years of experience as a Social Director at a non-profit organization helping those in crisis with financial assistance, brief supportive counseling, and being a spiritual presence in their time of need. In her free time Karen enjoys reading, cooking and traveling.

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My New Beginnings Experience

6/8/2017

0 Comments

 
​Hi!  My name is Letisha Norman and I am a resident at New Beginnings.  I have to say that New Beginnings has really helped me to change my life.  Although I’m not a first-time mother, my children are 15 years apart which left me in a position of really starting over.  And let me tell you: A LOT has changed since I raised my daughter, like laying babies on their backs instead of their stomaches, not giving babies water, and because I had a boy instead of a girl this time, I have to be very mindful of the way I wipe him since he was circumcised.  Obviously he was sore so it took a little longer to change him than it did with my daughter.  Laughing out loud, it’s not fun to get urinated on at 5 a.m. but thats the type of thing you go through when raising kids.   
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​New Beginnings helped me to develop those skills that I am taking with me through this journey of raising my beautiful little person.  One way they help is by allowing me to live in a wonderful, safe, Christian-based environment in a home setting with enough room to allow me to be the mother I was 15 years ago, but better, because I’m learning to put God first.  Second, New Beginnings teaches me to brush up on some of my domestic skills.  Every month, we have a themed pot-luck that we all bring a homemade dish to.  We also have an assigned monthly chore and every Saturday, our apartments are checked by staff.  Every week, we have one-on-one Bible Studies and Goal Meetings.  I thank God for New Beginnings for giving me the room to grow as a mother, a person, and someday, by God’s grace, an educated woman since we do have the option of going to school or working on a career path.  That will allow me to live depending on myself and being accountable for the choices I make which works out better when I put God first.  
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​“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16).  
​God loved us first.  I couldn’t imagine giving my son up as a sacrifice but God did and with New Beginnings’ help, I will keep seeking Him. 
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Letisha joined the New Beginnings Family in January of 2017 and had her son in May 2017.  She is pursuing her education while making God and her children the center of her world.

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When God Says "YES!!"

3/6/2017

2 Comments

 
Have you ever had a morning when you woke up and everything was coming at you like a ball of fire….baby crying, phone ringing, stomach growling, people knocking at the door, or your neighbor's music is too loud. It’s always something. You don't want to get out of bed, take a shower, talk to ANYONE, or even clean. You’d rather live and lay where it’s just messy, thinking your mess is the comfort you need to get through the day. Do you have moments like this? You want to go crawl under a rock and never come out. You want to throw in the towel and say “NOPE” to any and every one that crosses your path. People this is what you call a depressive state of mind. 
Some people have these moments when they feel like just giving up. As a mother, I have moments like this but one day I woke up and said “No more; I have something and someone to live life for and that’s God, Kiarra (my daughter), and myself.” I came to realize that I needed help and that I shouldn’t be afraid to ask for it so I talked to the staff here at New Beginnings and told them I was ready to receive help. I also explained to them what's been going on with me and that I recognized that I needed to talk with someone. Sometimes when the devil see that you're doing well and you're trying to accomplish what you’ve set out to, he’ll try to come in and redirect your mind to go left. He’ll have you thinking people don’t care or they’re talking about you in a bad way. 
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But the God I serve did not allow the devil to take over me. He allowed me to get out of that bed and get myself together, take my shower, do my hair, put on lashes (lol), play with my baby, do her hair, and make sure she’s clean and looking cute. This year (2017) I want to be better, happier, and more loving. I feel this is my year to get all this junk out of me that's been in me since I was 12 years of age. With God on my side and my New Beginnings family, anything is POSSIBLE!
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Philippians 4:13 New International Version (NIV)
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I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.
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Shaneka has been a resident at New Beginnings since June of 2015. She is working towards pursuing a degree in nursing. She has always dreamed of working in the healthcare field and is excited that New Beginnings can help her fulfill her dream. She enjoys spending time with her beautiful baby girl, Kiarra. ​

2 Comments

SINGLE MOTHER WITH MORE THAN ONE KID

2/1/2017

0 Comments

 
Sometimes I wonder how I came this far and how I manage with both my kids. To tell you the truth, sometimes it gets hard but I’ve learned that nothing is impossible, especially when it comes from God. With Him, everything is possible! When I had my second baby, I didn’t know how I was going to do this but honestly it just came naturally for me to manage both of my kids. Coming to New Beginnings really changed everything and made me look at my situation so differently. Truthfully, it helped my faith grow more and more. It is just amazing how God did all this. Wow, God is really good! I thank Him for bringing me here. I have learned and I am still learning more and more day by day. I am not going to give up because New Beginnings hasn’t given up on me even when they should have. 
I really do love the women at New Beginnings. They truly show what love and family are all about. They care, they’re very supportive, and they teach you more about God so your faith can grow more with Christ. When you need a shoulder or someone to talk to, they are here and they will cry with you. Amazing! These women care and the love and compassion they have shows that they definitely love their jobs, our kids, and us.
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God bless these women now and forever!
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Jasmira has been a resident at New Beginnings since May of 2016. She is working towards pursuing a career as a beautician. She is excited that New Beginnings can help her fulfill her dream. She enjoys spending time with her beautiful baby Caleb and going to visit her older son often.

0 Comments

Getting Through the First Year

9/16/2016

0 Comments

 
God has blessed me with a happy, healthy, little girl who has taught me a lot this year on how to love more, have a little more compassion and how to lean on God in certain situations. The first year of being a mom is really scary, I had thoughts like, "Am I’m doing this right?", "What should I be doing?", or "Does she love me?".
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But every morning when she opens her eyes and looks at me, I see her smile and this lets me know that I am loved. (LOL) I remember the first time I dropped her off at daycare.  I cried like a baby because my mom and I were the only ones that I trusted with my baby.  When I went back to pick her up, her eyes lit up with excitement and that made me feel great and loved. So now I look forward to dropping her off and picking her up. I had moments of thinking about giving up this year. I just started to pray more and more and began to talk to God asking him for more patience and forgiveness.
​I surrounded myself and my child with women that had a love for God and my child. I’m so forever thankful for the ladies at New Beginning for always loving my child and me. So far this year, Kiarra has learned how to eat on her own and drink from a sippy cup. Her favorite vegetable is green beans and bananas are her favorite fruit. Kiarra understands the difference between when it’s ok to do something and not to do something just by seeing my face.  She still will try me. She plays well with her peers at daycare and has a loving sprit for people.
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​This little girl brings happiness to my life. God knew just want to do for my life and it was Kiarra. So excited to see what God has for us this year.
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Shaneka has been a resident at New Beginnings since June of 2015. She is working towards pursuing a degree in nursing. She has always dreamed of working in the healthcare field and is excited that New Beginnings can help her fulfill her dream. She enjoys spending time with her beautiful baby girl, Kiarra. 

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Trying to Juggle a New Baby and School

9/2/2016

0 Comments

 
​Having a new baby is always exciting, but try throwing school that works as a full time job (without the benefits of getting paid at the end of your 2 weeks) on top of testing on what seems like every other day.  Starting a school that teaches you more about your passion and career path is enough to motivate anyone.  Well, try throwing a new baby in the picture.  Your motivation turns into determination that never gets… sleep.  You are already away for 8hrs Monday through Friday and you refuse to miss a beat because when they’re at that age, everything comes in bundles and it seems like you should record everyday in order to never miss what’s new to come.  Well, that’s where I’m at in my life.  I’m just trying to figure out how to make it all work with the time (the one thing that waits for no one).  Having a new baby is always exciting and now you’re double excited with school that teaches you more about your passion and career path because your end goal is to provide better for her.  I’m not complaining because I love the challenge.
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http://www.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk/
​Strategy #1:   Use school time wisely. 
If you have free time during school, use that time to try and get some homework done or even study for an upcoming test.
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​Strategy#2:  Baby is PRIORITY. 
After coming home from a long day at school, school work should not be the first thing you do.  Instead, spend time with baby.  Spending time with baby can be used as an escape from the thoughts about school and showing him or her how much they’re missed.
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​Strategy #3:  Never let it overwhelm you. 
“Never borrow what you can’t stand to get back.”  SLEEP  Sleep is key.  Knowing your functioning limits without sleep is a must but neglecting too much sleep will definitely overwhelm you in the long run.
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www.babysleepsite.com
​These things may or may not work for you but it wouldn’t hurt to try.
Good luck!
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Meosha is a former resident here at New Beginnings.  She joined our family in January of 2016.  She has a beautiful little girl for whom she is striving to make a better life for.

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