"The Cross is like the Devalued being Redeemed"

76 incarcerations, 9 felonies, addict...how does that lead you to picture the man I am describing? I can tell you that the picture those three images paint for me are anything but pretty or pleasant. But, the cross is like the devalued being redeemed. Our faith is not just a good story. It is more than fairy-tale fantasy. It is real. The love and power of Christ culminating on the cross continues to change the world by redeeming what has been trashed.

76 incarcerations, 9 felonies, addict describe a man in our church family's past, but not his present. In fact, if you met this man today you would never believe he was ever in prison once. He attributes his redemption to two things: Jesus Christ and other people being Christ to him. To top it all off, he is now voluntarily suffering for the redemption of other ex-offenders through a program called circles. (I encourage you to check it out at www.circlescampaign.org).

Former Ohio State Representative, John White, is now the Director of this initiative. It brings together circles of people from all walks of life to become a social support network to allow ex-offenders to have a hand-up so they will not ever be incarcerated again. It is not just a lofty mission; it is working! The success rate is amazing!

Today, they met with me to honor you. They said, we have heard that Living Hope is a church that is doing something to make a difference. The state and the county would like the opportunity to share about Circles with LH to see if any folks in your church family might be interested in knowing more about how they might give of their time to give others a hand-up. I told him we would be honored to learn more. So, in the next month or so they will be sharing literature in our bulletins and I hope that the man I mentioned will even share his story of how the cross really is like the devalued being redeemed.

Living Hope, thank you for being a church that does not just talk about it but truly is learning to be real, transformed, connected and poured out. Even the state and county are seeing it and we know what they are really seeing is our Savior, Jesus Christ. Praise God!