The Story of Hope’s Door

Hope’s Door believes there is a Godly calling on every life whether it is a vocational or church-related calling. Many people, especially women,  especially women who have been victims of abuse, have a difficult time accepting that God would love them and place a high value on them, moreover, that He would love them so much he would desire they become believers, family members, part of His body upon earth. They often have roadblocks of wrong teaching or abuse, or sin that has kept them living a lie, unable to break through to Truth…that He has a plan and purpose for their lives and that they are a vital part of the whole plan of God’s kingdom on earth. (Jeremiah 29:11)

The members of this board have come together believing in a common goal. That the prayer of faith allows for the gifts of God’s Holy Spirit to work through anointed servants of prayer, bringing light into the lives of the confused, deceived, fearful, beaten down and weary and transforming their valley of troubles into a door of hope. (Hosea 2:15)

Elizabeth Whitfield Sherrell

In 2006, I felt a need to take a personal spiritual retreat. I have often found a convent to be a good venue for this type of journey. I found a beautiful one in Holy Trinity, Alabama. I drove the 3 hours and found the lovely site situated in a woody area with a walking path down to a large pond. I was there 3 days and sought God often in the chapel and on the paths surrounding the convent. Not feeling I had heard Him I decided to ask for some time with one of the sisters. It didn’t matter that I was not catholic, we served the same Lord. The brief visit seemed uneventful but she prayed with me and wrote my name on a sticky note with the scripture “Hosea 2:14-15.” I stopped to read it in one of the alcoves…

Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her. And I will give her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope and she shall sing there as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.

The Surprising Accuracy of Scripture

Look at how this verse seemed to fit the moment I was in:

1. Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her—I knew he had brought me to this little wilderness.
2. And I will give her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor—Achor means trouble.
3. For a door of hope—My troubles were to be exchanged for a door of hope
4. and she shall sing there as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.—Amazingly, I had brought my autoharp and sang for the nuns!

I was beginning to get the picture. God was reminding me he had brought me out of bondage. He had brought me here to tell me something important and to let me know He had heard my desire to find the path He wanted me to walk as I began to transition into my senior years. I placed the sticky note in my bible along with another tiny green one that says simply “Welcome, Elizabeth” and bears a hand-drawn cross.

As I rounded the corner to walk down the corridor to my room I looked up and saw the archway bore the words “The Door of Hope!” I was astounded!

That is what led me to named my ministry Hope’s Door.