The Life-Changing Impact of Inheritance of Hope: Natalie’s Story
One day, Natalie’s friend Jill asked her to volunteer for an Inheritance of Hope Legacy Retreat® in Orlando after eight more families joined the lineup. “I was like, ‘How in the world could I volunteer? I’m going to be so emotional,’” Natalie shared during her interview on the Inheritance of Hope Podcast.
Jill reassured her that if God could equip her, she should “just show up.” And on the day of the retreat, she faced her fears head on and was “hooked ever since.”
“Just being able to get to know these families, other people who wanted to serve alongside me and just honor the Lord in that, it really changed my life,” Natalie said.
How volunteering changed Natalie’s life
Though the idea of volunteering to help young families facing a parent’s terminal illness seemed daunting at first, seeing how the activities at the retreat brightened up their day outweighed the heartache Natalie initially had.
The family she served had a terminally ill mother who was able to recover from her illness and still stays in touch with Natalie to this day. When reflecting on their relationship, Natalie shared,
“I have gotten wedding invitations, baby shower invitations for her kids. But I think the most special thing is she came back to serve with me on a retreat in New York…. She was so willing to come back and be a part of the serving team so that she could impact other families.”
Pivoting into hope
After volunteering and becoming a donor for Inheritance of Hope, Natalie eventually was offered the position of Hope Hub™ Manager. While she loved her previous job teaching, she realized she wanted to shift into a more permanent place in the Inheritance of Hope community.
As a Hope Hub™ Manager, she helps organize monthly gatherings for families to find community and speak with each other about any new updates going on in their lives. This allows families the opportunity to have connection during a typically very isolating process.
“At Inheritance of Hope, we do believe it is plain wrong for families to face terminal illness alone or to feel isolated by terminal illness. And we also believe the whole family is the one going through the diagnosis,” Natalie said as she shared about the work she is a part of.
Organizing these events can be just as fulfilling for staff like Natalie as it is for the families being served. “I am much more available to my family while also doing a job that just brings me so much joy. So grateful, so thankful. It really is amazing…Can’t believe the full circle that happened,” Natalie stated while looking back at her time in this role.
Join in the hope
To join Natalie in creating a more hopeful environment for young families facing a parent’s terminal illness, visit InheritanceOfHope.org to apply to be a volunteer. To help continue offering these services, consider also making a one-time or monthly donation through our website.
For the full version of our conversation with Natalie, check out our completely free podcast on YouTube for her and others’ Inheritance of Hope testimonials.
Kennedy Owens is a junior psychology major at Florida Southern College and branding intern for Inheritance of Hope. In her spare time, she likes to work on her art YouTube TV show ViperTV and learn random fun facts about the brain.