"See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God."
1 John 3:1
I love the kids in the youth program. I tell them that we are all part of God's family - that through God's love, he has made us all part of the same family, even though we look very different. At this point, we usually have one of the younger kids get really excited and point out that even though our skin is totally different (I am definitely in the minority as a white person at Harbor House), we are related. Some of them just think it's funny that a very white Caucasian American and a very dark-skinned Nigerian American could be part of the same family, and some of them are really touched that they are God's child, that God loves them, and that the staff and other kids love them.
"Aaron" is one of the latter. He has a rough life. He's lived in a variety of different situations during the school year - an apartment, several shelters, with his mom's ex, with relatives, and been kicked out of most of them because of his mother's behavior. She has her own issues that she is dealing with and loves her son very very much but has probably never seen or experienced what it's like to be a healthy parent who can provide for her child. Aaron has never met his father.
I am grateful that we have been able to provide some stability for Aaron this year, but it hasn't been easy, and has involved many difficult conversations with him and his mother. Aaron thrives during devotion time though, and needs to know that he is loved by God and by people.
This boy absolutely loves that he can be a part of God's family. He told me once that having God as his father "makes me whole."
Recently, in devotion, I told the kids that people always ask me why I don't have kids. He said, as loud and enthusiastically as he could, "Because you have all of us!!! We're your family!"
Well said.
1 John 3:1
"Aaron" is one of the latter. He has a rough life. He's lived in a variety of different situations during the school year - an apartment, several shelters, with his mom's ex, with relatives, and been kicked out of most of them because of his mother's behavior. She has her own issues that she is dealing with and loves her son very very much but has probably never seen or experienced what it's like to be a healthy parent who can provide for her child. Aaron has never met his father.
I am grateful that we have been able to provide some stability for Aaron this year, but it hasn't been easy, and has involved many difficult conversations with him and his mother. Aaron thrives during devotion time though, and needs to know that he is loved by God and by people.
This boy absolutely loves that he can be a part of God's family. He told me once that having God as his father "makes me whole."
Recently, in devotion, I told the kids that people always ask me why I don't have kids. He said, as loud and enthusiastically as he could, "Because you have all of us!!! We're your family!"
Well said.
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