For the month of June, the Love Our City campaign will highlight different Watermark ministry partners in the impact area of homeless care and prevention. This week, you can read about how Watermark member Alyssa Bowyer came to know and trust the Lord, as well as her work and service with The Human Impact. As you read her story, consider ways you can love our city!
When did you surrender your life to Christ?
“My family was immersed in Christian culture, so I knew about Christ at an early age. I knew there was hope in the Lord, but I was a very fearful child and specifically feared death. I thought I had to earn His favor and work hard to be accepted by Him. I strived to please my parents, my teachers, and God.
“When I was thirteen, I heard the gospel at a Christian conference, and by the grace of God, it made sense to me. I realized God wanted a relationship with me, and I understood His love for me. That is when I accepted Christ as my Savior, but I didn’t make Him the Lord of my life. Looking back, I don’t see a true heart transformation.
“When I slowly started drifting away from church activities later in high school, it was clear in my heart that I also started moving away from God. I still believed He was real, but I just didn’t care for Him to be in my life. When my mom would bring God up in conversations, I would push Him to the sidelines.
“God met me at a Haiti mission trip with my church. I went for a sense of adventure, but God really turned my heart back toward Him. He reminded me that He loves me and always has. From that moment on, I wanted to do everything for Him, and I surrendered my life to Him.
“For me, college was a time of growth in my faith and in my relationship with the Lord. I learned more about His Word and how to share the gospel with others.
“When I later moved to Dallas, I knew getting involved in a church and finding a good community was important. God really taught me to be faithful in that time. I knew that even if I was only going to be in Dallas for a handful of months, being committed to a local church was important. I quickly got involved at Watermark and formed friendships through a community group and serving around the church.”
What is The Human Impact?
“The Human Impact is a Christ-centered nonprofit that seeks to befriend those experiencing long-term homelessness. When people have been on the streets or unsheltered for especially long periods of time, there is more isolation and loneliness. There is a strong relational need, and that is what we do. We build relationships with people through trust and friendship to walk alongside people and help them walk over hurdles towards their goals. No one has to walk through life alone. We’re in it for the long haul, and we want people to know that.”
How did you get involved with The Human Impact?
“I went by myself to one of their events looking to serve in new ways and meet new friends, but I was a little unsure of what I was walking into. On that first day of serving, I got to sit and talk with people who lived very different lives than I did. One guy shared a lot about his life and the trials he’s experienced. There, I felt like I was exactly where the Lord wanted me. I’d been longing to find my place in Dallas, and I really felt like myself when I was serving in this way–listening to and caring for others.
“I didn’t expect that when I went to serve that day, and from then on, I kept coming back. Any time I had free time that year, I’d go out to the streets with the team at The Human Impact to meet and build relationships with people.
“When I think of the Jesus I read about in the Bible, I think of Him as a friend. He was friends with hurting people. He would sit with tax collectors and sinners. He asked them to sit with Him for a meal, cared for them, and saw their giftings and trials.
“My life is so different because of some of the relationships I’ve formed over the years with this organization. I’m so thankful that so many biases and stereotypes I carry are continually broken down. When I am in this space of work, I feel more true to who God created me to be than anywhere else. God is using my skills and gifts to honor Him.”
Learn more about The Human Impact and how you can get involved to love our city.