Weekly Prayer

I am currently sitting at Shechem in one of our classrooms with a newer six-year-old member, a board member, a Homes teenager, and a weekly volunteer. We’re listening to music and singing along together as we paint our pictures and explore what colors we can make when we mix paint together. Although our new member has only been coming to Shechem for two weeks, she has stolen all of our hearts with her smile, curiosity, cute conversations, and ability to eat 15 cookies in thr

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1 NIV People come to Hope Street with heavy burdens. We see it in the way people carry themselves. We see it through interactions, decision making, and simple choices. While Hope Street is a safe place for broken people to live and play, the beauty is in the invitation to experience something new. To not allow those burdens to defin

"In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety." Psalm 4:8 One of the greatest gifts one can receive is peace. Not just peace around us, but peace within us. For many, including myself, there have been seasons when sleep was hard to find because worry, fear, uncertainty, or life's challenges kept our minds racing. That's why hearing a Homes member say, "I sleep so peacefully at Hope Street," is so powerful. It reminds me that peace is more t

Your presence here is seriously overflowing. Ample. In every area. You make yourself known to people who have little been introduced to you previously. You create a sense of peace. You transform lives. You connect us to one another. You are so big here. Can I just ask you to keep doing that God? You provide all we need God. My two biggest prayer requests for Hope Street as of late have been for safety and funds. I have felt like those are the two needs that aren’t already tak

At 7 years old, he is curious, kind, and inquisitive. During a recent Family Dinner, he said “Jamie, sit next to me!” I could write several pages on the power of that simple, “you belong” invitation in and of itself. As I engaged with others around the table, I felt his little hand tracing some tattooed words on my forearm. He read the words aloud and said “what does this mean?” I explained that the words “do not grow weary” and “do not lose heart” are from one of my favorite

A familiar question, as volunteers, and staff alike get acclimated to life inside of Hope Street. That question is usually accompanied with - is what I am doing beneficial? In our American culture we value productivity. We place a heavy emphasis on numbers, and all too often allow that to determine the level of success. Inside the Greenhouse for People culture there’s an opportunity for that temptation to get disrupted. Suddenly you come face to face with one person, or may

God, can you give me limitless grace? I am not as kind, loving or patient as I should be. Not with everyone. I expect more from some than others. I shouldn't. I see some heart problems as lack of exposure and opportunity and other heart problems as lack of care. I shouldn’t. I have been judgmental. I have all but written people off. Why is it that I want to hug some to bring transformation and shake others to bring transformation? God, I need to stop picking and choosing whe

At Hope Street, we are reminded that life change doesn’t always happen in grand, dramatic moments. Most of the time, it begins in simple, intentional spaces. Sometimes around a warm cup of coffee in The Vine. Something sacred unfolds; conversations start, laughter fills the room, and hearts begin to soften. What may seem ordinary becomes extraordinary when God is present. In the book of Hebrews, we’re called to “consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good

A couple of months ago, I was processing a sad experience with my mentor in a virtual meeting. Sharing about a former member who had relapsed–the sadness over the whole situation, the things I saw and the fact that in that dark moment this individual wasn’t aware of how beloved they were. The moment felt dark and heavy. While in this meeting, little Chosyn came running to the glass door of my office. I tried just giving a little wave…thinking she would understand and run off.