Each had an adjustment period. Jon, 40-something, needed time to just get his head clear and start focusing again. Then he quietly started working on himself and his relationship with God.
Andrew, 30-something, had to decide who he wanted to hang with – guys focused on recovery or those who still weren’t sure what they wanted to do.
Both started experiencing some hope in their lives again. Each found some Biblical principles which gave them some answers and empowerment for long-time struggles.
Spiritual recovery was beginning to make a difference in their lives and both began seeing the need to pass along to others the same peace and empowerment they were experiencing.
It culminated on a bus ride they took to a 12 Step meeting. People on the bus looked so unhappy – some really bad.
It was an interesting situation. Two homeless guys living in a mission traveling around the city looking and feeling better than most of the other folks they saw.
Out of all this, Andrew and Jon created a plan to gently and unobtrusively pass along a good word to anyone ready to receive it.
They created their own Good News cards. On one side words like: “Hope,” “Love” and “Smile.”
The other side had a couple phrases from the complete Serenity Prayer.
Sometimes they hand a card to a person, sometimes they just leave it somewhere.
There’s a phrase in recovery – based on the 12th Step – that says, “You have to give it away to keep it!”
That’s working real well for Andrew and Jon these days!
One Good Word at a Time,
Pastor Gary Byers
Deputy Director