I was walking around the block with my husband a couple of years ago when noticing a girl having a similar resemblance to myself sitting on the curb. She had a cigarette in one hand, a beer in the other, and a lost look on her face. Immediately a flood of memories and thoughts fill my mind. “That is me if not for the grace of God,” I said to my husband.
Once again, I became acutely aware that my life would have played out much differently had God not intervened. Now, I have a wonderful godly husband who loves me and five wonderful grace-filled daughters. Yet, people who look on at my family do not realize that it was not always this way. I am constantly reminded by the unhappiness I see all around me that I once lived a radically different life. It was at best “destructive,” and I found myself like this girl on the curb very much lost and alone.
I looked for direction in the church, and as can happen in some churches, I found myself blocked by walls of superficial spirituality keeping me far from that hope. “Praise the Lord”, “God is good”, “I’ll keep you in prayer”, are often said like well-rehearsed scripts. How quickly we as leaders forget being once ourselves caught-up in an ungodly life and in need of a rescuing hand; that is, until we're are shockingly reminded. For me, as uncomfortable as it is to be reminded, I am truly grateful because it is the thorn in my side God continues to use. This is why True Source Ministries is dedicated to the goal of transparency. There are no pretenses here. What you encounter is real and genuine.
My daughters were raised in the faith and have no idea of brokenness except from the stories that I share from my own experiences. It’s very interesting to me to observe the difference of my growing up years to theirs. What is the difference between me and them? Simply put, "God"! When God comes into the picture the picture changes. So it is my desire for you. I have thought of you often. In fact every time I am reminded of the heartache from my past I think of you. Every time I see someone struggle I think of you. I don’t know your name, or where you live or what you have been through, but I know you... God has put you on my heart for many years and it is because of "you" that this ministry is here. And not only my heart but my daughter Abby's as well; I from the godless past and she from the God-centered past together in hopes for you - a God-filled future. Therefore we graciously invite you to come and explore. It is our sincere hope that you take away something from this ministry that would bring about comfort, encouragement and change - something that comes directly from the True Source of overcoming “My help comes from the LORD ...” (Psalm 121:2).
-Paula Masters
-Abby Masters
Directors of True Source Ministries
"Throughout the Bible we are taught that God blesses us in order
that we might be a blessing to others. He transforms us so that we might
become agents of transformation. Christians, therefore, have the privilege and the responsibility to always be reaching out and extending God's grace to a broken world. TSM exists for this very reason. This is why I thank God for it."
-Tullian Tchividjian
Pastor, New City Church
Grandson of Evangelist Billy Graham
Author, Do I Know God: Finding Certainty in Life's Most Important Relationship
True Source Ministries is a Christian women’s resource center whose goal is to connect hurting women with resources specific to their struggle. We have discovered that many find themselves at a loss when it comes to issues that might require more intensive care such as: discouragement, hopelessness, inferiority, insecurity, inadequacy, suicidal thoughts, depression, anxiety, etc. It is our desire that every woman that comes in contact with our ministry is given the opportunity to access spiritual resources that will help strengthen and equip her to overcome the deeper challenges of life.
“Reaching the lost, strengthening the weak, binding-up the broken with the transforming power of the gospel.”
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