Written by Courtney Tucker A single mother’s story of finding strength and support through the local church. “Mom, when I grow up, I want to be just like you.” The words lingered for a moment before settling into her heart. Tears threatened to fill her eyes as she pretended to dismiss the comment. “Girl, you so crazy,” Allison told her daughter with a smile. “I’m serious, Momma. You’re my hero,” A’more’ said as she wrapped her long, slender arm around her mother. The words hit deep because Allison Prince felt as though she could not take credit for anything. It was all God, and she was grateful. As a single mother of four children, the years leading up to this season were not always easy for the Prince family. In her husband’s absence for the majority of their lives, Allison worked multiple jobs to support her children through school, even while attending college herself. Raising her children in church is very important to Allison. She grew up in a Catholic church and remembered her faith in God had always been strong, even at a young age. She recalls being nine years old, walking seven blocks to church every Sunday, praying and talking to God all the way there and all the way home. She knew God as an ever-present friend to her, spending time in Him in seasons of her deepest need. At the young age of fourteen, she moved out of her parent’s house, and at twenty years old, she became pregnant with her first child. She first walked into the doors of Crossroads Church when her baby was one year old. “At first, I had no intentions of going back,” Allison said. Her initial perception was that the service style was “too different” from what she was accustomed to in traditional religious services. However, after two weeks, she found herself continuing to reflect on the message preached that Sunday. “It was like Pastor was talking directly to me about exactly what I was going through,” she said. The personal experience extended to her baby in the nursery, so she decided to return to Crossroads the next week and has been here ever since. Today, over twenty years later, Allison and her children are thriving in their faith and the church. For many years Allison hosted Friday night Bible studies in her home with a group of women who became a source of strength for her during trying times. She believes connecting with others in small groups helped to strengthen her walk with God. Each of her children has formed personal relationships with Jesus Christ. Allison credits not only discipleship at home but also the discipleship they individually receive within the church. Each of the Prince children has grown up in the KJAM Children’s Ministry and The Exchange Student Ministries. They have been poured into by leaders within each ministry area and have been taught how to become leaders themselves; ministering to and pouring into other children in the generations behind them. Curtis, Jr. and Cameron, Allison’s two sons, are active in the student and children’s ministries. Curtis, Jr. is on the Beast Team in The Exchange, loves working with youth, and wants to go on a mission trip soon. Cameron, vibrant and full of life, loves serving on the puppet team and praise and worship team in KJAM. Her daughter Ambrosia, a Jr. High small group leader, serves on several student ministry teams and aspires to be a missionary. She went on her first mission trip to El Salvador in 2019. A’more’, her oldest daughter, having gone through several ministry areas since her first day in the nursery over twenty years ago, completed two years of ministry training with Crossroads Leadership College and is now pursuing a bachelor’s degree with plans to attain a Ph.D. in Counseling. On any given Sunday or Wednesday night, you will find the Princes engaged in some area of ministry. They refuse to miss church on Sundays and always want to be the first to arrive and the last to leave. Allison loves how much her children enjoy spending time with friends in their youth groups, even outside of church. She attributes it to youth leaders and pastors taking time to invest in her children and talk through difficult things with them. They have formed trusted relationships with others in the body of Christ, and it has made all the difference. “It takes a community to raise children,” Allison said. “I cannot tell you how many times the church has been there for us over the years. Whether it was counseling us through a difficult situation, meeting a need we had, or just spending time with my children, this church has been there. I cannot express just how grateful I am.” Moreover, Allison has embarked on a healing journey of freedom where God has helped her to forgive the hurts from her past and move on into total freedom in Christ. She now leads Freedom Groups and helps other women journey through the waters of healing and forgiveness. Soon she will have a bachelor’s degree in counseling and plans to begin a career as a professional counselor. God has proven Himself faithful time and time again to Allison, showing Himself as a Companion, a Provider, and a Father. “It’s like I can’t breathe without Him,” she said. “I depend on Him for everything.” When asked for the best advice to single mothers, or to any parent seeking the Lord, Allison said, “Get connected. People get lost because they don’t get connected. “You grow closer to God when you are growing with other people within the body of Christ. I think it’s the way He designed it. So, to me, my brothers and sisters in the church are the real heroes; they are the hands and feet of Jesus Himself.” ​