Jul 16, 2026
Written by Jim Holmlund, Executive Director of Love INC Heartland
For the past four years, I have written these quarterly updates to share how Love INC Heartland is partnering with local churches to transform lives. I have also included reminders of the hope we have in Jesus Christ. This quarter’s letter is a little different.
Over the past several months, I have been away from Love INC Heartland due to unexpected medical issues. Doctors discovered an aortic aneurysm along with a faulty aortic valve. Thanks to advances in medical technology, skilled surgeons, compassionate nurses, and an incredible support system of family and friends, I received the care I needed.
While I was recovering, something else became very clear to me: Love INC Heartland continued.
The ministry continued serving our neighbors. Churches continued responding to needs. Volunteers continued loving people well. Our staff and Board stepped into additional responsibilities with grace and dedication, even when they faced unexpected challenges too. The mission of mobilizing local churches to transform lives never stopped.
For that, I am deeply grateful.
During my recovery, I spent time reading Psalm 138. One verse seemed written just for this season of my life:
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life. You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes; with your right hand you save me. –Psalm 138:7 NIV
Those words have taken on new meaning for me. A ruptured aortic aneurysm often leaves little opportunity for survival. I easily could have become another statistic. Instead, I believe God preserved my life. Through His provision, His people, and His grace, He stretched out His mighty hand and sustained me.
As I reflected on that truth, I was reminded that God’s plan has always been life.
From the beginning of creation, our Father designed us for life with Him. Even after sin entered the world, He set into motion His plan of redemption through Jesus Christ—a plan that restores hope today and promises eternal life. His desire has always been to redeem, restore, and make all things new.
That eternal hope also gives purpose to our lives today.
Each of us has been created with gifts, abilities, and a calling. David was called to lead Israel as king. I believe God has called me to serve through Love INC Heartland. The question I continue to ask myself—and one I would encourage you to consider—is this:
What has God called you to do?
At Love INC, we often walk alongside people who have never been encouraged to ask that question. Many of our neighbors are facing difficult circumstances, but just as challenging is the belief that they have little to offer. Some have never been told they have God-given gifts. They have never been invited to use their talents to bless others.
We believe restoring hope means more than meeting immediate needs. It also means helping people discover the gifts God has placed within them and inviting them to participate in His work. Transformation happens when people begin to see themselves not simply as recipients of help but as valued members of the Body of Christ with unique gifts to share.
That is why Love INC does more than connect people with resources. We connect people with the local Church. We connect neighbors with relationships. We connect people with opportunities to discover purpose and to use the gifts God has given them.
In the end, we cannot change hearts. We cannot save lives. We cannot manufacture hope.
We can only reflect the love of Jesus.
Thank you for walking alongside us. I am grateful to be back, grateful for God’s faithfulness, and grateful that together we have the privilege of reflecting His love to our neighbors.
As we look back on the first half of 2026, we are reminded that every number represents a person created in the image of God—a neighbor with a story, a struggle, and a purpose.
So far this year:
- 37 new families have reached out to Love INC Heartland.
- 14 families have completed our intake process and begun their journey with us.
- 1,008 requests have been shared with our church partners.
- 1,183 needs have been met through the generosity of volunteers and congregations.
- Volunteers have faithfully given 3,994 hours of their time.
- 30 families have participated in 92 Redemptive Compassion class sessions.
These are more than statistics.
They represent lives being changed, relationships being built, and hope being restored through Jesus Christ. They represent churches working together as the Body of Christ, each using the gifts God has given them to love their neighbors well.
Thank you for being part of this ministry. Whether you pray, volunteer, give financially, or serve through your local church, you are part of God’s work of restoring lives and revealing His love. Together, may we continue to reflect the love of Jesus, helping others discover the hope, purpose, and abundant life found only in Him.
Jim Holmlund
Executive Director, Love INC Heartland
Our Impact In 2026
Overall stats for Love INC Heartland as of June 30, 2026.
- 1,008 Requests
- 1,183 Needs Met
- 3,994 Volunteer Hours
- $27,452 Gifts Given
Requests: Asks for help made to the Connection Center or Fresh Start Program.
Needs Met: People helped from requests made to the Connection Center or Fresh Start Program. One request may meet the needs of several people in a family.
Gifts Given: The value of gifts given to families and individuals active with Love INC Heartland. Gifts are given through Gap Ministries or Fresh Start Program. Examples: gas cards, diapers, clothing vouchers, furniture vouchers.
Volunteer Hours: Volunteer hours of all areas- Connection Center, Fresh Start Program, Board of Directors, Gap Ministries, Thrift Store, Fundraising Events, and more.
Fresh Start Program
Transformational Ministry stats as of June 30, 2026.
- 62 Mentor Meetings
- 1,208 Volunteer Hours
- 92 Class Sessions
Fresh Start Mentor Meetings: One-on-one meetings with a volunteer.
Fresh Start Volunteer Hours: Amount of time a volunteer has donated to Fresh Start Program.
Fresh Start Class Sessions: Each individual class.
Thank You For Your Support!
Thank you for being part of this ministry.
Whether you pray, volunteer, give financially, or serve through your local church, you are part of God’s work of restoring lives and revealing His love. Together, may we continue to reflect the love of Jesus, helping others discover the hope, purpose, and abundant life found only in Him.
Give Online
Golf For Love
Volunteer
Jun 16, 2026
Renewed Hope, Peace, and Purpose
Written by Lisa Green, Fresh Start Program Director of Love INC Heartland
A few years ago, Skylar moved to the area after caring for her parents through their final days of life. First, her father passed away, and then her mother passed, leaving Skylar alone, lonely, and experiencing her own health problems.
In hopes of starting over, Skylar moved near her sisters. Her sisters were busy living their lives and raising their families. She moved closer to them expecting to spend more time together. Sadly, those relationships became strained and unhealthy.
She was drawn to a church in her new community where she felt welcomed and began to adjust. Through one of our Church Partners, Skylar was introduced to Love INC Heartland by a fellow church member. God was leading her to make a call and inquire. After meeting with the Fresh Start Program Director, Skylar signed up for her first class.
When the question was posed to her, “What goals and plans do you have for your life?” Skylar was taken off guard. She realized she did not have goals, and all her plans had fallen apart. Volunteers within the class empowered her to make plans and set goals. She was encouraged and held accountable. Skylar discovered that shifting the focus off her loneliness and blessing others created a feeling of peace within her.
Skylar has found a variety of ways to invest in others through her creative talents and her dedication to helping and serving. She not only attends classes but also volunteers within the Fresh Start Program, assisting in any area needed.
“God puts people in our life for a reason, and we are privileged to show God’s love to all. You never know what you do or say that can have a positive impact on someone else’s life.” — Skylar
The Fresh Start Program renewed her hope, her purpose, and her peace. Skylar knows God has a plan, and she can trust it.
Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. – Proverbs 16:3 NIV
*Names have been changed to maintain confidentiality.
Are You Ready For A Fresh Start?
If you’re feeling stuck, isolated, or unsure of your next steps, our Fresh Start Program offers practical tools, encouragement, and a supportive community to help you move forward. Contact Love INC Heartland to learn more about upcoming classes and volunteer opportunities.
Sign Up
Give A Gift
Find Us On Facebook
May 14, 2026
Serving With Joy: MaryAnn’s Story Of Faith In Action
Written by Alisa Ledoux, Thrift Store Manager of Love INC Heartland
What is the backbone of servant leadership? Compassion, character, and competence. These principles emphasize caring for others’ well-being, acting with integrity, and possessing the skills necessary to effectively support and guide a team. If you want to see servant leadership acted out, come to our Love INC Heartland Thrift Store in Delano, Minnesota, and watch MaryAnn shine for Jesus.
MaryAnn Johnson has remained a faithful, fun volunteer at our store for over a dozen years. Her expertise is making all who come into the thrift store feel welcome—first with her beautiful smile and cheerful greeting, and additionally by preparing a delightful shopping experience through the way she arranges each donated item with love and care. When asked, “What is the strangest thing you’ve ever seen donated?” she recalled a gas mask that still has her stumped as to how to elegantly display the piece. She gave us all a grand laugh when she slipped the mask over her head to model it.
MaryAnn, her husband Wally, and their family moved to Delano in 1994. Although she was a busy mother and a very dedicated partner to Wally and his growing business, MaryAnn still wanted to give to her new community. She did her research and, as she put it, “I liked what was going on at Love INC Heartland… I liked that the profits of the store were helping the community… I began by answering phones… I remember a man calling in to ask for blankets for his mother, ‘because she is so cold.’” As MaryAnn recalled the story, her empathy for the man’s request was evident in her demeanor, even now. MaryAnn truly models extending Love In the Name of Christ with everything she does at our thrift store in Delano.
MaryAnn and her husband Wally attend the Catholic Church of Saints Peter & Paul in Loretto, Minnesota. She enjoys volunteering alongside others from various congregations around the Delano area. “We pray together and for each other’s needs… It feels like a family here. I feel like the Lord wants me to continue working here.”
When asked if MaryAnn had a wish for the Delano store, she said she hoped more people would see that the Love INC Heartland Thrift Store is a destination available to all—not just our neighbors in need, but to everyone.
We’re all so blessed to have MaryAnn as part of our family team!
Inspired by MaryAnn? There’s a place for you here. Whether you have a few hours a week or a heart to serve, we’d love to welcome you to our volunteer team.
Volunteer Today
Our Thrift Stores
Find Us On Facebook
Apr 14, 2026
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.
– Isaiah 43:19 NIV
These words are spoken in the midst of God’s promise to redeem and protect His people. Throughout Isaiah 43, the Lord reminds Israel that He alone is Savior—there is no other source of rescue, no other power that can redeem. And yet, in the middle of a story already filled with God’s faithfulness, He declares that something new is breaking forth. A way is being made in the wilderness. Streams are appearing in the wasteland. God is at work even where life feels barren and hope feels distant.
This language carries us forward into the Gospels, where John the Baptist appears as a voice crying out in the wilderness, preparing the way of the Lord. His call to repentance and baptism invited people into a new understanding—not one rooted in striving harder or doing more, but in turning their hearts toward what God Himself was about to accomplish. So we are left to wonder: is this “new thing” truly new? Or has it always been God’s way? From the moment sin entered the world, redemption has never belonged to humanity—it has always belonged to God. Through every law, sacrifice, rule, and command, there has been only one power that saves: grace. Grace is the new thing God asks us to perceive. It is the quiet yet powerful work of God making a way where we cannot, bringing life where we least expect it, and inviting us to allow Him to work in, with, and through us.
There is much said in our current culture about how we aid and assist those in need. Two things seem increasingly clear:
- The need is real
AND
- Much of the assistance provided unintentionally creates dependence rather than restoration. People are helped to survive, but not always empowered to flourish.
In the midst of this reality, we believe God is still “doing a new thing”—or perhaps not a new thing at all, but His way, lived out faithfully and intentionally.
At Love INC Heartland, we call this Redemptive Compassion. It is a way of walking alongside people that preserves dignity and restores hope. Redemptive Compassion recognizes that every person has value, God-given gifts, and a purpose to live into. Rather than defining people by their needs, it invites them to discover their strengths and to participate in what God is doing in their own lives. Just as God allowed Israel to walk through trials—not to abandon them, but to shape them—we believe God has something more for every person than what they can currently see. Something better. Something worth pursuing.
God has always been faithful to redeem and protect His people, and He continues that work today. When you support Love INC Heartland, you are joining in that promise—helping ensure that neighbors in need are not only assisted, but cared for, encouraged, and reminded of their God-given worth. Together, we get to witness God bringing streams of hope and restoration into places that once felt dry and forgotten.
Through your support of Love INC Heartland, you participate in God’s promise to redeem and protect His people by offering not just help, but hope, dignity, and a path toward restoration.
Give A Gift
Volunteer
Serve A Meal
In Christ,
Jim Holmlund
Executive Director – Love INC Heartland
763-972-6547 | info@loveincheartland.org
P.s. Spring is a reminder that our annual golf event is coming! Sponsorship packages + team tickets are available now! Spread the word and invite others in your community.
Team Tickets
Sponsor Packages
Mar 17, 2026
From Isolation To Community
Written by Lisa Green, Fresh Start Program Director of Love INC Heartland
At Love In the Name of Christ Heartland, we believe everyone has value and we are called to invest relationally in each other.
Janet* came to Love INC Heartland looking for resources and support as her work hours had been cut. We called her periodically for prayer. She valued prayer and she knew we valued prayer as well.
The Fresh Start Program was empowering her to build community and combat the isolation she was experiencing by living alone. One very cold day, she called in desperation as she had been without water for several days. The pipes in her trailer home had frozen. Once again, she knew to call Love INC Heartland for prayer. We connected with her and prayed and helped her find solutions to the situation.
A Church Partner with a Prayer Ministry was involved in praying as well. This Church Partner was mobilized to transform lives through prayer. And then, after nine days without water, she called to let us know that God had thawed the pipes and the water was running. We rejoiced with her that God had seen her dilemma and in His Goodness had miraculously intervened and taken care of the pipes. Nothing was cracked or broken and there were no leaks. Her faith was strengthened and her relationship with us deepened.
Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear. -Isaiah 65:24 NIV
Love INC Heartland’s Fresh Start Program is an intentional community of support. Relationships form within our life skills classes where you can be encouraged, set goals, and reduce stress in your home.
We believe this is the beginning of opportunities for transformation.
*Names have been changed to maintain confidentiality.
Give A Gift
About Fresh Start
Partner With Us
Feb 18, 2026
Uniting Churches Through Gap Ministries
Written by Sabrina Gustafson, Family Advocate of the Connection Center
At Love In the Name of Christ Heartland, it is our mission to mobilize the churches to transform lives and communities In the Name of Christ. The Christmas Store is an example of this mission in action.
The Christmas Store is a Gap Ministry led by WestPointe Church in partnership with Love INC Heartland to serve neighbors in need. A team of dedicated and innovative volunteers create a store for Love INC Heartland families. The store is stocked through donations from area churches and the community. Parents of children ages 0-18 shop at no cost for toys and gifts to give their children for Christmas.
The volunteers of the Christmas Store reflect the same love Christ brought to us by setting aside His riches in heaven and coming to us as a child.
Christmas is a time of celebration for all of us. We exchange gifts that represent the most amazing gift of all, Jesus! Born in a stable, the embodiment of our state.
You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. You know that Christ was rich, but for you he became poor. Christ did this so that by his being poor you might become rich. – 2 Corinthians 8:9 ICB
Parents are appreciative of this extra help during the season of Christmas when finances can be even more stressed than usual. Those who donate time, product, ideas, and inspiration are an intentional example of Christ at Christmas. All are drawn closer to Christ through the event.
The festive nature of this Gap Ministry, filling bags with gifts, hearts with love, and minds with gratefulness, carries on throughout the year. Case Managers and Family Advocates in our communities have shared stories of how helpful and unique the Christmas Store has been for the families they are working with.
The Christmas Store fulfills the vision of Love INC, which is, to see the Christian churches united in purpose and fully engaged in actively living out their faith by lovingly serving people in need in their communities.
All In the Name of Christ!
Today your Savior is born in the city of David. He is Christ the Lord. – Luke 2:11 NET
Donate To Our Ministry
Get Help
Our Church Partners
