Giving the coat off your back…
In December, Watermark hosted the Christmas lunch at Voice of Hope, a West Dallas ministry that provides children and families with strong character models, education support, life skills and family support services needed to become productive citizens and break the poverty cycle. This is always an amazing time and if there’s ever a doubt about whether spending a couple of hours to love folks intentionally is worth it, here’s a great reminder…
Approximately one year ago, I attended a Christmas Drive give away at Voice of Hope Ministries in West Dallas where a number of volunteers from the Watermark Church in Dallas attended. At the time I was a 24 year old mother of three struggling to finish college and gather enough strength to leave my mentally, sexually, and physically abusive husband…. I had the great pleasure of having a newly married couple be my hosts for the event. They showed me respect and love without even knowing me or my situation. They spoke kind words of encouragement and made me remember God’s unconditional love for everyone, including me. The wife noticed I didn’t have on a coat while I was loading up my babies’ toys and she gave me the coat off her back. I have never forgotten them, the Watermark Church, or Voice Of Hope since that day. Now, by God’s grace, I have finished college and obtained my undergraduate degree in health education and I am currently working on my Masters in counseling. I now attend church and have a church family … that I have grown to love as my own family. I have been appointed as a ministry president and instructed to put together an activity for our youth department and I immediately thought of Voice of Hope. I would like for our kids to see the effort and love others give just to follow the example of Christ and expect nothing in return, as did the couple who I had the pleasure of meeting. In addition, Voice of Hope serves the population that makes up our church and immediate community….
Thanks again.
What a great reminder that one selfless act of love can have ripple effects that last a lifetime!
No responses yet