Although many residents have gone on to long term treatment, the staff and I continue to communicate with and provide support to both the men and women that we have placed. We frequently send and receive many cards and letters. We recently received one especially exciting letter from Dana that I would like to share parts of with you…..

Can you believe I’ve been here 4 months now?! That’s awesome to me! I gotta say I really do love it here. God has really been revealing things to me about myself- some good and some bad. But I know He is just molding me into the woman He INTENDED me to be. I love Him. I can honestly say that all my life I just wanted someone to love me and protect me and give me the security I longed for – little did I know He was there all along! All I had to do was OPEN my eyes…do you know how lost I was? I was broken down – no self-confidence, no love for myself, I was TIRED. But now, I wish I had the right words to express how I am feeling….
I’m growing. I can say that the good Lord is definitely working on me. I’ve never had a relationship with the Lord like this, EVER! It blows my mind to think of how much He loves ME!!….
Now I am learning to be that Godly momma to my kids….that’s all I want – to be a good mom to my kids….
I thank you again for helping me get to where I am…
Here is a real favorite of mine. Isaiah 41:9-10 I love my God. He is MY STRONG TOWER who always holds me with His righteous right hand!!

Because of your support, many lives like Dana’s are being transformed. Thank you so much.

God bless,
Tim McLauchlin
Executive Director

Our New Van!

During a week of fasting and prayer in June, Teen Challenge of the Upper Cumberland was blessed with the opportunity to purchase this great van! Special thanks to Bob Johnson Auto Sales for the great deal and thanks to VitalSigns for the window graphics!  The van is used to transport residents to and from church, medical exams, court appointments, and to long-term Teen Challenge centers.  Thank you for your faithful support that made this possible!

Praise the Lord for allowing us to minister to those seeking deliverance from life controlling addictions.  Teen Challenge of the Upper Cumberland has helped to place 42 individuals into long term Teen Challenge centers and there are currently 3 ladies staying at the crisis center awaiting placement later this week.  The Hope for Life non-residential class attendance continues to grow as well as the number of calls that come in each week from people needing help.  Thanks be unto the Father of our Lord and Savior.

Last week, while taking one of the residents, Kendra, to a court appointment, I noticed that she was very nervous but nervous differently than other residents whom have gone to court.  This was a court date in which all of her family would be present as well as DCS workers and attorneys for different members of the family.

When asked what she was so nervous about, she replied, “Pastor Tim, I am so very excited to have Jesus living inside of me!  I want to learn everything I can about the Man that gave His life for me.  I want every thought in my head to be good and of Him.  I want every word that comes out of my mouth to be edifying to the Lord and those around me.  I can’t wait for my light to be so bright that everyone around me can see the Holy Spirit all over me.”

The best part of this day was still yet to come.  When she walked into the court room, her own mother had to look twice to see if it was really her.  Her mother’s exact words were, “I did not even recognize you. You look like a different person.”  Then her attorney walked over and said that she could not believe the change that had taken place since seeing her in court ten days prior.  Everyone in the court room, including the judge, commented on how different and how good she looked.  It was an answer to a prayer prayed a short time earlier and what a difference it made.

2 Corinthians 5:17 says Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Kendra will be leaving this week to a long-term Teen Challenge center and she said “if God has done this in my life in this short of time being at the crisis center, I can’t wait until graduation.”

Please continue to pray for Kendra, the other ladies residing at the center, all those that have already been placed into Teen Challenge, and those that will be coming in the future.  Your prayers and your financial support make it possible for lives like this to “become new.”

God bless you,

Tim McLauchlin, Executive Director

Come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him. Psalm 95 1-2

Many of the female residents and the men that Teen Challenge of the Upper Cumberland helps have very little or no type of religious background. Asking Jesus into their hearts and accepting His forgiveness is one of the first steps they take when they are seeking freedom from their addictions. An important second step that we as a staff teach these young men and women is the importance of always being thankful and giving praise to the Lord, the source of their help and deliverance. At Teen Challenge of the Upper Cumberland, we continually strive to help these people follow after Jesus as we show them unconditional love and support along the way. At the crisis center, each day is started with at least an hour of group praise, worship, study of God’s Word, and prayer. It is wonderful to see these residents sing praise to and worship the Rock of their salvation. God bless you for your continued support and prayers.

Advisory Board Meeting & Open House

Please join us this Thursday, July 22 at 6:00 pm for tours of the Teen Challenge Upper Cumberland facility with an Advisory Board meeting at 6:30. If you are an Advisory Board member or would like to get involved with the ministry of TCUC, please make plans to attend. The facility is located at 702 School Dr., Gainesboro, TN.

Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.    John 8:36

What a promise we have in Jesus!  The world can try all its programs and classes, but if the source is not Jesus, it is all for naught.  It can be a 12 step or a 30 day program, but if it is not Christ-focused the chances of success are slim to none.  When you encounter so many  young men and women strung out on drugs with a look of death and despair in their eyes, there is nothing greater than to see them clean and living drug-free with purpose and hope.

As we celebrate Independence Day in this nation and our original freedom from Great Britain with fireworks and picnics, let us not forget to celebrate our true independence which was given to us by God through Christ Jesus our Lord.  The declaration for our independence from sin was not written by men but by God.  It was not written not on paper but on our hearts.  We do not need to trust in elections in hopes of retaining our freedom, we just need to keep our faith in the Creator of the universe and the promise of His dear Son…..If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

This past week four more lives were impacted and started anew through the ministry of Teen Challenge of the Upper Cumberland.  Three women who stayed at New Horizons Crisis Center and one young man were all placed into long term Teen Challenge centers this week.  Free from their addiction and free from the chains of the enemy, they are experiencing the blessings of God and Freedom through Christ’s sacrifice for us all.

As you spend time with friends and family this weekend and have picnics and watch fireworks, thank God not only for our independence as a nation, but also thank Him for the blessing of ministries like Teen Challenge that help those who are looking for hope and looking for FREEDOM!

God Bless and Happy 4^th of July from the Teen Challenge of the Upper Cumberland Board and Staff.

If you are already a Teen Challenge of the Upper Cumberland Board of Advisor member or you would like to learn more about becoming  an Advisory Board member, we invite you to a special meeting.  It will be Thursday July 22nd 6:00 pm at the New Horizons Crisis Center at 702 School Dr., Gainesboro.  We will have an Open House at 6pm and an informal meeting starting promptly at 6:30.  We will discuss what it means to be on the Board of Advisors and how you can put your gifts and talents to use should you choose to be a part.

Proclaiming Liberty

Often when someone calls the office of Teen Challenge of the Upper Cumberland, they are seeking something.  Worried parents are seeking help and assistance for their children, pastors are seeking more information about the ministry and ways their church can get involved, probation officers are seeking options for their clients, and addicts are seeking the freedom and release they so desperately need.

He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound. Isaiah 61:2

Teen Challenge of the Upper Cumberland began as and continues to be a resource to proclaim liberty to those with life-controlling addictions. So many of the people that call are being tossed to and fro from the effects and storms of addiction.  People are seeking  stability and freedom yet Satan is deceiving them with temporary pleasure that will not sustain them.   We have the answer to true stability and deliverance from these struggles and His name is Jesus.  Lives are being changed by the truth of God’s Word and the liberty that comes with it.   Those that were once unstable and wavering, can now find rest in the arms of our Savior.As of this email, 29 men and women have been assisted into long term Teen Challenge centers so that they can receive eternal freedom and release from the chains of addiction.  Please visit our website for more information.  Thank you so much for your faithful prayers and support.

God bless you,

Tim McLauchlin, Executive Director

Week of Fasting and Prayer

Teen Challenge of the Upper Cumberland has dedicated the week of June 20 – June 26 to fast and pray for God’s continued guidance and direction in this ministry.  We appreciate your prayers and support during this time.

Current Wish List
- bookshelves
- updated computer
- disinfectant wipes
- toilet paper, paper towels
- Wal-Mart gift cards
You may drop off your donation at the Teen Challenge office at 702 School Dr., Gainesboro, TN or call 931-268-1094 to arrange for pickup.

This has been an awesome week at Teen Challenge of the Upper Cumberland! Two female crisis center residents and one young man were sent to long term Teen Challenge centers in Chattanooga, West Virginia, and Western Michigan. There are currently two more residents at the crisis center and several people in the Teen Challenge application process.

Pastor Tim ministered in a great service on Wednesday night at the Appalachian Teen Challenge Center. It is a joy to see what God is doing in the lives of not only the ten students that Teen Challenge of the Upper Cumberland has sent there, but also in the lives of all the students that are at the center. What an amazing sight, to see renewed people who were once hopeless addicts praying for a full hour before service, then actively participating in a mighty move of the Holy Spirit that lasted over three hours.

2Corinthians 3:18 says And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

These students are no longer conformed to the world, but they are being transformed and becoming more like Christ each day.

These transformations are possible because of your faithful support through your prayers, volunteer hours, donations, and financial contributions. May God abundantly bless you!

The Teen Challenge Family

P.S. Post your prayer requests and praise reports online here. The Teen Challenge of the Upper Cumberland residents and staff would love to join with you in prayer. When your prayer is answered, be sure to come back and let us know!

For those of you who attended the “Sowing Seeds of Hope” banquet you know that I am not very emotional. Well, actually, not very being the key, but quite a bit is more like it. My heart truly goes out to those who are searching for the God of peace and deliverance. When a life is transformed for the glory of God my heart leaps for joy. When those who have gone to Teen Challenge write back and tell of the great things God is doing in their lives, the shouts of victory can be heard all over Gainesboro! To God be the glory!

Last week we received a letter from Stephanie who had stayed at New Horizons in February. In her letter, she included the following poem that she wrote. With her permission, please enjoy:

Tears of Grace
By Stephanie

The tears that stream down my face come from His peace and grace.
They are from knowing no-more am I lost,
for through Him was paid the ultimate cost.
His blood refreshing as a bottomless lake,
one that once emerged in, there is no longer heartache.
And all it took was for me to reach out, give up all
With ceaseless faith and doubt.
Because within me He heard an urgent call,
One from behind my hidden wall.
In that moment into my heart He came,
Healing it just as He had healed the lame.
Using His gentle touch to wipe away the old clay,
While His loving mercy washed clean the sin of yesterday.
Here in His presence my life has begun to reform,
And with my Lord and Savior I’ll survive the storm.

God bless you and Thank you for your support,

Tim McLauchlin, Executive Director

To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair……….                               Isaiah 61:3

When a woman first arrives at the New Horizons Crisis Center, she is like that newly planted rose bush.  She has her head downcast, her shoulders drooped, and often has difficulty making eye contact during the initial interview.  Even as she moves into the center, she appears hopeless and lost.  As she receives the love of Christ through the staff and faithful volunteers, she begins to grow.  She soon realizes that there is a God that loves her unconditionally.  As she is ministered to, nourished with good home cooked meals, and nourished with the Word of God, she begins to bloom into a thriving, Godly woman.

God bless you,

Tim McLauchlin, Executive Director

Not Finished Yet

Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb.  He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head.  The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen.                                                                                                                                                  John 20:6-7

Have you ever been to a fancy restaurant that has the nice linen napkins?  Let’s say you go to this restaurant and order your favorite dinner.  The wait staff brings your food, sets it on the table in front of you and you smile anxiously awaiting that first bite.  Then, you realize that you have not washed your hands, so you throw your napkin down on the table and head for the restroom.  You return from the restroom and find that your plate has been taken away and the table cleaned.  If you had folded your napkin neatly and set it off to the side, the wait staff would have realized that you were not finished yet.

When reading this passage by the Apostle John, I can’t help but notice that Jesus folded the burial cloth that had been around His head and set it off to the side to signify to the disciples, I am not finished yet!  Praise the Lord!

Just when people think that they have done so many wrongs that God would never forgive them;  I assure them that as long as they have breath in their body God can still change their destiny.  Every day at Teen Challenge of the Upper Cumberland lives are changed from hopeless to hopeful because of God’s precious promise of redemption.  Since opening in October 2009 over 20 people have made decisions for Christ, 19 have been placed into long term Teen Challenge centers, and 11 ladies have been residents at New Horizons Crisis Center.  Thank God that He is not finished yet and that He is still in the life changing business.

Have an awesome Resurrection Day!

Tim McLauchlin, Executive Director

Even to your old age, I am He, And even to gray hairs I will carry you!
I have made, and I will bear; Even I will carry, and will deliver you.     Isaiah 46:4

Since opening Teen Challenge in this area several people have asked me, “If you are helping adults why is it called TEEN Challenge?”  When David Wilkerson first established Teen Challenge it was to minister to gang members in Brooklyn, New York.  Because of the success of the program, others came along side Wilkerson. One of his first disciples, Nicky Cruz,  opened up other centers and began to see lives transformed for the glory of God.

Today, of the 228 centers open in the United States, only 28 of them are adolescent programs.  Teen Challenge is the oldest and most successful addiction recovery program in the world.  Several studies have shown Teen Challenge’s success rate to be 86% for those who complete the program.  No other program can claim that it has had the longevity or the success that Teen Challenge offers, and it is all because Teen Challenge is Christ centered!

The reason I share this is that the previous updates written to you have been about young men and women between the ages of 18 and 45, but I am honored to say that God is “no respecter of persons.”  Silas “Buddy” Scoggins, age 63, has been delivered from a life of alcohol and pill addiction and on Thursday was admitted into Teen Challenge of the Mid-South in Chattanooga.  Even at his older age, God has delivered him!

Teen Challenge of the Upper Cumberland has helped to place 17 individuals to into long term programs.  People are ministered to every day through both the residential program, New Horizons Crisis Center, and the non-residential program.  Of these 17 individuals, 9 of them have been men.   The need for a women’s residential program is great and we also now see the tremendous need for a men’s residential program.  Please pray that God will reveal when and where a men’s crisis facility should be opened so that we can help even more people find freedom from addiction through the love of Jesus Christ.

Thank you and God bless,

Tim McLauchlin, Executive Director