A Message from the Executive Director
What Does It Mean To “Count the Cost”?
Every year starting in mid-May I begin the process of developing CrossWalk Center’s next fiscal year’s budget. It is long and laboriously painstaking work. It requires getting still and quiet, reflecting on the past, envisioning, and praying about our future.
Our humble beginnings are revisited, and the 5-year strategic plan referenced before striking out to map the new year that lies ahead. Plans, visions, and a giving forecast must converge into one harmonious budget, but not without counting the cost.
“Counting the cost” means recognizing and agreeing to terms.
This year’s proposed budget with visions of our first women’s re-entry home, expansion of the re-entry discipleship prison program, three new men’s houses, and a handful of new events, must initially meet the terms and conditions set by the Finance and Administration committee.
I cannot simply follow my own inclination. I must come under the authority of Father God first and foremost, and then submit the budget to our board of directors and committees, so we may count the cost, literally and figuratively, of Seamless Re-entry Discipleship ministry programs and services.
It is the same for believers, those who have professed their faith in Christ Jesus. We cannot follow Him and the world’s way at the same time (Matthew 7:13-14). Following Him may mean we lose relationships, dreams, material things, or even our lives. These are the terms of being HIS disciples. Again, in following Christ, we cannot simply follow our own inclinations. This is a hard saying.
In Luke 14:33 Jesus ended His description of the cost of discipleship with a breathtaking statement:
"Any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple."
“Renouncing” may mean we give up something tangible, but more often it means we let go of emotional ties so that what we possess no longer possesses us. When we become one of His, we cannot continue to belong to this world (1 John 2:15-17), nor allow the things of this world to hinder accomplishing the work He has called us to do in His Name.
Counting the cost means: counting family and possessions, even one’s life, as secondary to following Jesus. It means counting the cost before starting to act. It requires time alone with the Father with spiritual ears tuned to hear the voice of the Spirit’s leading, and the courage to follow that leading regardless of the personal cost. It calls upon us to put on the towel of a servant, and to be willing to wash the feet of our brothers and sisters along their journeys of Re-entry Discipleship.
“A thing half-done is worse than a thing never begun.” Joachim Jeremias, German Theologian, The Parables of Jesus
Selah (Stop and ponder that a minute!)
In Christ,
Kathy
CrossWalk Announces New Partnership
CrossWalk Center has partnered with The Council on Recovery to bring outpatient treatment services to returning citizens. Through their Discovering Choices state-funded program, they can offer services to individuals who may not feel they have the resources to afford treatment. “We welcome the assistance of The Council on Recovery and the service they can provide to our clients. We are excited for this partnership as studies examining the relation between mental health counseling and religious faith have shown that individuals with a faith-based component in their life respond better to counseling,” said Kathy Vosburg, Executive Director of CrossWalk Center.
The Council on Recovery’s licensed staff conducts an assessment on all clients to gather information regarding the severity of use and how use has impacted daily functioning or mental health, to develop an appropriate treatment plan. Treatment options are tailored to the needs of individual clients and include a six-week outpatient treatment program with individual therapy, psychoeducation, and process groups. Clients are then phased into an eight-week recovery management program to learn how to transition back into the community. Specialized treatment tracks with co-occurring psychiatric and substance use disorders are also offered as are elective adjuncts to outpatient treatment process that offer holistic supports to recovery such as Yoga, Healing Circles, and Mind-Body skills.
“We are honored to partner with Crosswalk Center, as our missions very closely align,” says David Aron, LMSW, Program Manager for Discovering Choices. “This opportunity will progress our goal to help people who otherwise might not have access to the necessary resources for re-entry and recovery.”
With the re-entry discipleship ministry provided by CrossWalk Center and The Council on Recovery, the goal is that clients not only achieve lasting recovery, but also have an optimistic life orientation, greater perceived social support, higher resilience to stress, and lower levels of anxiety – basically living Jesus’ promised fuller, greater, richer life – never returning to prison.
The Council on Recovery is a non-profit organization founded in 1946. It has been at the forefront of helping individuals and families whose lives have been impacted by alcoholism, drug addiction, and co-occurring mental health disorders. For more information, visit councilonrecovery.org.
The Men of CrossWalk...Messages from the Heart
"I was treated like a person, not a number. The kindness they showed me was shocking. I have mad love for Pastor Anderson. I don't know where I would be without him and CrossWalk." - CW
"In the past I was constantly being torn down, but CrossWalk built me back up. My focus is on God and my future." - QG
"In the past I was constantly being torn down, but CrossWalk built me back up. My focus is on God and my future." - JG
"CrossWalk is family to me. I've never said this about another man, but Pastor Anderson loves me! The sincerity and Christian values of the staff make me feel like I can and will succeed." - MC
"I trust everyone on the CrossWalk staff as I know they have my best interest at heart. Pastor Paul is like my second father. Pastor Anderson and Colonel Harris are like uncles. Jeb is like my brother. They are about the Father's business, and I am so blessed to be a part of this ministry." - CS
Coaches' Corner: Generational Discipleship
CrossWalk Center clients believe in the saying, “my brother’s keeper” from the story of Cain and Abel in Genesis 4:1-9. One of the ways they live out this phrase from scripture is through peer mentorship. This happens when a graduate of the CWC Seamless Re-entry Discipleship program develops a personal relationship with a newly released returning citizen, guiding and discipling them through the reintegration process. The mentor shares his knowledge, experience, and faith with the mentee who in turn learns from someone who has walked the same path as them.
Effective peer mentoring takes effort. It must be managed and nurtured. It is a joint venture that is only successful when both parties take responsibility for making it work. It is a tall task to ask of our alumni coaches, but the men of CrossWalk are resilient and have a strong desire to give back and serve.
We are very proud of the generational discipleship being created within CrossWalk and happy to share the following story.
Neill
“I believe in biblical discipleship. Just as Jesus discipled the apostles, I feel that we are called to do the same,” said Jeb Neill. Neill became a Coach as an extension of a friendship he had developed with a fellow inmate, Carl Sutherland. Neill journeyed with Sutherland through his release and remains a faithful friend years later. He encourages Sutherland to trust in the work God has begun in him and to be patient in God’s timing. “I am very proud of Carl. It’s a blessing to watch his spiritual maturity grow and the transformations taking place in his life, especially the reconciliation with his family,” stated Neill.
Neill encourages people to think about becoming a Coach if they have a genuine love for people and to serve God faithfully. “If you offer wisdom, share your experiences in Christ, and support your mentee in practical and spiritual ways, then you are a disciple,” said Neill.
Sutherland
“I became involved with CrossWalk Center through my friend and coach, Jeb Neill. I don’t know what I would have done without Jeb’s advice and guidance my first year out. He was always supportive and taught me how to be more patient, how to control my emotions, and how to communicate better,” said Sutherland.
Sutherland didn’t have a calling to become a Coach, but felt it was the right thing to do because Neill was so influential in his life. He goes on to say, “I know that I’m younger than most men getting out of prison, but I feel like I have a lot to offer in terms of encouragement and support.”
Conchola
“I knew I wanted to be involved with CrossWalk when I first heard Kathy speak about CrossWalk on the radio while in prison. There was so much passion in her voice that it drew me in,” said Conchola.
Conchola’s Coach is Carl Sutherland. Although there is a big age difference between Conchola and Sutherland, Conchola shares that they are very good friends and Christian brothers. “We are living life together. We talk about everything, especially the relationships with our families. Carl has helped me to be faithful in prayer and to believe that God will restore my relationship with my daughters in HIS time,” noted Conchola.
Life experience is what makes Conchola believe he would make a good Coach. He’s lived a long, married life and is a dad and grandfather. He’s experienced the highs and lows spiritually, financially, and emotionally. He encourages others to become a Coach. With a smile he shares, “I’m doing it, and you can do it too…all in the name of Jesus.”
There are a few key beliefs that resonate with all three men: serve God faithfully, be intentional when offering wisdom, share your experiences in Christ, and love one another as Jesus loves us. The compassion they show one another is encouraging, and their belief in one another is inspirational. The words “my brother’s keeper” have never been truer.
Annual Fall Breakfast
Please join us for breakfast as CWC turns 5!
Invite your friends and business colleagues too!
Guest Speaker
There is no fee to attend this event.
Breakfast is generously hosted by Sara & Fred Robertson.
Monthly Giving Program
Become a Friend of CrossWalk
We are inviting you to invest yourself through the resources that God has given you - your energy, your prayers, and your money - in this work to which God has called us.
By joining our Monthly Giving Program, your gift will allow us to take a planned, long-term approach to grow our Seamless Re-Entry Discipleship from the inside out.
Recurring, monthly giving means low administration costs with more of your gift going to where it is needed most...to our returning citizens. We will be able to grow CrossWalk Center's re-entry discipleship ministry, expand our reach, and widen our impact.
The successful re-entry journey begins here!
Thank you for supporting our efforts and helping make a difference.
What's Happening at CrossWalk Center
Operation Adopt-A-Home
Our House Downtown, CrossWalk's in-house church partner, believes in giving back to the community. They are hosting their first "Adopt-A-Home" project this Sunday, August 22nd after their 11:00am Sunday service. They will be building a handicap accessible ramp and beautifying the properlty of CWC neighbor, Mrs. Gina Rios.
If you are interested in helping with the project, please meet at CrossWalk for 12:00pm. For more information, please call Susie Boggs at 832-235-3187.
Intercessory Prayer Requests
Frank Arauza
Joseph Bowers
Reginal Bryant
John Calloway
Michael Conchola
Michael Wayne Cranford
Leonard Demmings
James Doty
Quincy Gaither
Alfredo Garcia
Anthony Garner
Jaime Gloria
Anthony Gueno
Sean Hopkins
Luke Jackson
Gabriel Lee
Kendall Lee
Quentin Mahoney
Wyman Major
Ernest Martin
Domingo Martinez
Victor Martinez III
Chad McCardel
Freddie O'Hara
Lawrence Phillips
Raymond Pyle
Emmanuel Randolf
Carl Sutherland
David Taylor
Steven Wayne Taylor
William Thayer
Jeffery Allan Thompson
Angel Vazquez
Luis Vela
Ways to Give
Your Generous Giving Impacts Lives. CrossWalk Center re-entry programs and services, and the generosity of faithful givers like you provide returning citizens a second chance, increases public safety, reduces taxpayer costs, and prevent individuals from returning to a life in prison. Learn more.
“Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they shall see God.”
- The Beatitudes
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CrossWalk Center, Inc., is a tax exempt 501(c)(3) charitable organization.