Carrie and Crystal are two women whose lives have been forever impacted by the mentorship program at Free 2 Fly. Their relationship began in 2017 when a friend of Carrie’s encouraged her to get involved with the organization she loved so much. Shortly after that conversation, Carrie met with Hailey and “the rest is history,” she says. She felt like the Lord was calling her to become a mentor, and during a Free 2 Fly event God whispered to her that she was going to mentor Crystal. 

Above is a picture of Carrie & Crystal in December 2018, around a year into their relationship. 

The beginning of their relationship was difficult for both Carrie and Crystal. Neither of them had ever experienced that type of partnership before, and it took some time for them to get comfortable with each other.

“In the beginning I didn’t want a mentor, and I didn’t want to share my life with anyone at all,” Crystal explained, “once we started deepening our relationship it gave me a new outlook on my life and ways to better myself.”

Carrie described the process of their relationship beautifully, she said, “There is something so precious and sweet when you trust in the Lord to guide your steps, and He was guiding mine with hers.”

As time has passed, their relationship has transitioned from a mentorship to a friendship. Spending weekly time with Carrie has helped Crystal step out of her comfort zone in her other relationships, and has helped her feel like a part of the Free 2 Fly community. Another testament to the Lord’s faithfulness in putting them together is that Carrie gets to help Crystal with her medical needs on top of her personal needs. Carrie is an RN and she has been able to give Crystal medical advice, get her connected with the best doctors to meet her needs, and she was even there to help deliver her baby! Crystal said that having Carrie as her mentor has helped her learn how to prioritize herself and her health more than she ever has in the past. Through Crystal’s relationship with Carrie she said she has found a safe space at Project: Free 2 Fly. 

 “When we talk now, I see a glow in her, and a peace that fills her. We talk about how God loves her so much! How His ways are always good, even if life does not seem good at the time,” Carrie explained, “I cannot describe the overwhelming sense of gratitude that I have to be able to mentor sweet Crystal.”