I have lots of stuff all over my office from guys in the program at Helping Up Mission. They are “love gifts” of gratitude to me for believing in them — usually when they couldn’t believe in themselves.
My office is sort of like our refrigerator door at home when our kids were small. It was covered with drawings they did and awards they earned. It also had lots of love notes from them to us. We still have a bunch of them — somewhere!
Back in my office, one of those notes was on my desk after some guys did maintenance work there about 8 months ago. It was from an undergrad with a nasty past and lots of present struggles. We talked a good bit and I’d like to think it helped.
This tough guy seemed to battle almost everyone — even himself — and I assumed one day he would chose to leave or we would have to tell him to go. He graduated on Friday! I don’t know who was more surprised he made it — him or us! You may have met him recently: http://helpingupmission.blogspot.com/2013/09/biker-boy-harry.html.
Don’t give up on anyone — God doesn’t! You just never know who, how or when God will use someone to impact their lives for good. And quite possibly it will be you!
One Guy, One Day at a Time — Because it’s Worth It!
Pastor Gary Byers
Deputy Director