Two stories of transformed lives.

I just want to give everybody a picture of how we are seeing God show up and change lives in the city of Canton.

I was at one of our Laundry Love Projects today in Southwest Canton and in the midst of the organized chaos of doing laundry and sharing in community with one another, I was able to have 2 very meaningful conversations.

The first was with my friend Valerie. A mom of two from my neighborhood who told me that she recently started going to church again because quite frankly, there was nothing better to do. In her return she is digging into the Bible and trying her hardest to follow Jesus.

The second was with my friend Sully, a great guy who is accustomed to tough circumstances and who has a big heart for people. Sully is set on putting away the old self, following Jesus, and becoming the man God wants him to be. The excitement in his voice for what God is doing was amazing, and his willingness to come volunteer at the Laundry Project was inspiring.

You have to understand, these conversations are so meaningful to me because I have been trying to walk alongside and consistently be in the lives of people who are struggling for the last 5 years. It can often feel like I experience more struggles and defeats in people's stories, but these conversations are evidence that there is reason to rejoice.

In the midst of the tough circumstances we may witness or hear about, God is actively working to restore and redeem lives. And while the growth in their lives may seem small, the fact that they are drawing near to God, even if they dont fully understand what that means yet, is monumental.

I wish I could unravel more of their stories for you because they are inspiring to me. I started the Laundry Love Project on a quest to help people tangibly and love them deeply, and never thought I would see life transformation happen right before my eyes.

Regardless of economic/social standing, any array of tough circumstances, or the feeling of impossibility in one's situation, nothing is too much for God to overcome. Nothing stops God from transforming lives and showing his greatness. Nothing stops him from loving us with everything.

We can't give up on people or write them off as hopeless. We can't believe that people will never get past their circumstances.  We must actively engage with people, walking alongside them and overcoming obstacles together.

And we can't for one second stop understanding that people are created in the image of God, beloved by their creator, and worthy of our all.