My Favorite Shape is a Circle

Wow!  Last night my favorite shape became a circle.  The men's accountability group that I get to be a part of donated the money for and served the meal for Circles Reentry last night. (I want to thank Adam Dagley, Chris Hobbs, Randy Kirkland, Keith Tracy, Greg Whitehead, Randy Hartsel, Rich Lee, Jeff Tracy, Tim Duerr, Craig Taylor, Ben Grauman, Scott Durbin, David Arvin, Dan Cummins, Gary Michael and Bill Matheney for not only the meal at Circles this but for being a group that is real, connected, transformed and poured out and for letting me be a part of it!)

As I watched the 60 or so male and female returning citizens file into the teen room, I thought to my self, "I wonder how many people in our community and perhaps even in our church family have a wrong impression of this group?" 

I wonder how many people think that the returning citizen is rough, scary, inconsiderate, distant, walking around with a chip on the shoulder or even having good amount of entitlement.  I can tell you from first-hand experience that is anything but the truth.  Last night, every person I met was considerate, humble, respectful and down right warm and friendly.  The returning citizens that attend Circles Reentry are not there because they have to be, but because they want to be...they want to be among people who will refuse to give them a hand out, but are ready to give them a hand up.

As we went around the Circle and I heard each person share one thing that was new and good in their lives, I had to fight back tears the entire time.  I did not hear one complaint or woe-is me.  Instead, I heard:

One person share how she is another step closer to being debt-free.

I saw one man proudly introducing his mother to the group who he is no longer estranged from. 

I heard a man share his dream to own a farm and raise organic food and animals. 

I heard another woman share that she had just gotten out of prison and how she was so thankful to have a group like Circles so she would not have to return to old ways of thinking and living.

I heard the group sing happy Birthday to two people. 

I heard a woman,who is now a business professional, married and with kids, share about how 7 years ago she was coming out prison and now that she is on the other side.  She wanted to encourage others to stay honest "because people are willing to help people who are honest, but not liars." 

I heard another woman share that because she had been in the hospital she lost her job, but she believed God had something better.

I watched with tears as people from our church family were treated like family by the Returning Citizens, becuase of the way our brothers and sisters had reached out to the Returning Citizens like they were family.
 

And then...You got to hear this...if you read nothing else, LH, please read this...I listened as about ten men shared these words in one way or another, "On Sunday, I got to come to Living Hope...it was the first time I had been in church for a long time and the message was good and the people made me feel at home."  

I about jumped out of my seat!  Yes! Yes! Yes!  That is why we are here!  This is why I love you so much!  You truly get it!  You get that it is not about what we want, need or prefer as Followers of Jesus, but what God wants and what others need to know that God loves them! 

I plan to attend Circles more often.  I want to encourage you...serve a meal...this is a great way of showing God's love in a tangible way.  Or just go and check it out...if you don't leave their encouraged, then you need serious help.  Because that Circle in the teen room on Monday night is one of the clearest pictures of Jesus I have seen in a very long time. 

As we talked about Sunday, may be Reentry Circles is your calling?  Why not send a email to  circles@elivinghope.com and learn more.  Who knows may be you too will discover that your favorite shape is a circle!