“What’s the story…behind the story?”
Our pastor asked that question this weekend. I thought about these hand prints. There’s this whole wonderful story about the HOME OF HOPE and a community of rescued kids living in hope and freedom. I love that story, but Jeff’s question reminded me that this is much more than a *group* of 22 hands.
Each hand print was created by an individual child with a unique story. Each kid has his/her own hopes, dreams, fears, and insecurities. Each hand print represents a special collection of spiritual gifts and human potential designed by God, wrapped in a unique shroud of abuse, neglect, and abandonment. Each hand connects to a mother struggling to escape the horrific bonds of sexual slavery.
Jesus doesn’t see a collection of abandoned kids. He holds each of these children in His hands – every single one of them, one at a time, all the time, in some miraculous way you and I will never quite comprehend.
So while we cycle to support “the kids” at the HOME OF HOPE, while we invite you into their story of hope and freedom, I hope we’ll remember the stories behind the story.
We were created by a community for community. We write our stories best when we write them together. AND Jesus comes to each of us, lives in our hearts, knows and loves our unique story. It’s the miracle of Christmas, the mystery of the universe.
Kinda cool.
[…] Last time I said Jesus holds each child at the HOME OF HOPE in His hands. I said He cares for them one-at-a-time in some mysterious, miraculous way we can’t understand. […]