Mercy Ministries' girls and staff were excited to welcome Lara Martin to the Nashville home on Thursday. Lara is a singer, songwriter, and worship leader at Abundant Life Church located in Bradford, England, and she also serves on the Board of Directors for Mercy Ministries UK.
Lara met Nancy Alcorn and first heard about Mercy Ministries when Nancy spoke in the UK in October of 1999. Not long after that, Lara and the women’s director from Abundant Life Church visited the Nashville home and fell in love with the work of Mercy Ministries. They were interested in learning more about the ministry in hopes of helping bring Mercy Ministries to the United Kingdom – which has now become a reality as we have a home open in the Bradford area and plans for expansion in the UK well underway.
Lara was astonished to see the growth that has taken place at Mercy Ministries over the last 9 years as well as the continued excellence. She loved the atmosphere and exclaimed, “I feel the presence of God as soon as I walk in the doors. You can’t deny it. It is very powerful.”
Lara joined the staff of Abundant Life Church in 1995 as the receptionist, served faithfully, and eventually became the church’s Worship Pastor. Lara’s work goes far beyond music on Sunday mornings. Today, Lara’s main focus is bringing oversight and direction to the church’s community outreach projects across the City of Bradford and beyond. This includes working in local prisons, assisting homeless people, reaching out to prostitutes and abused girls, serving the elderly, and helping excluded young people integrate into society.
During her visit at the Nashville home, Martin shared a message of restoration and your true identity as a daughter of God. She told the girls to take their focus off of their problems and to focus on the God-given potential in each one of us. “If you have lost your smile, joy can return. If you lost your zest for life, God can restore,” she explained.
Lara shared a message that really connected with our girls. That was evident by what Tamara, one of the residents, had to say, “Lara was really cool. She said a whole lot that related to what I have been going through. It was just what I needed to hear. I liked her music too. Her voice is angelic.”
Thank you Lara for coming and sharing your story and your incredible musical talent!