“When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the Lord will answer them; I the God of Israel will not forsake them.” Isaiah 41:17
Have you ever been really thirsty, so thirsty that you weren’t sure you were going to make it? From a physical perspective the lack of water can be dangerous or even life-threatening. But maybe your thirst wasn’t for water but rather for hope. Perhaps your life was upside down with things being thrown at you. Maybe it was a child who was breaking your heart. It could have been a brother or sister in a self destructive mode. Or maybe it was you.
When the thirst for hope is so strong but you have no idea where to turn, you might show up at one of the Mission’s shelters. The challenge with this thirst is it’s usually not just you who is “dying of thirst” but also your family. You and everyone concerned are panting for a cool drink from the water fountain of hope. Your spouse, your children, your family and friends are all pulled into your ordeal, your “thirstiness.”
As desperate men and women come through our doors, our heart’s desire for them is that they would hear the words of Jesus, and, most importantly, would feel His love. He tells us in John 6:35 “…whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” As Jesus would have us do, we want to love and care for these broken souls. We strive to show them that hope and meaning in life is based on a relationship with the Lord of the universe.
Last month I saw the “water” that Christ talked about at The Potter’s House campus (men’s facility in Jefferson, GA) during the annual Homecoming celebration. As former clients returned who had graduated from the program along with their families, stories of encouragement were shared with those currently in the program. These joyful families who not long ago were “dying of thirst” are now restored by the love of Christ.
I wish you could have seen first-hand the proud moms and children celebrating and these restored fathers who were once hopeless now encouraging others to press on toward new life in Christ. Hope and renewal were shared by entire families.
I vividly recall one family with two little boys. They were excited to be at the Home- coming. The boys were laughing and playing games as the dad showed them around, hugged other men and shared what Christ had done in their lives. These men and their families had been transformed by the power of Christ, not just for the immediate families but for generations to come.
See, most of us face times in our lives when are thirsty. We will need hope, support and encouragement to make it through the crisis. For many of our clients this thirst and the search for hope is a struggle that can often mean life or death.
Thank you for your incredible generosity that makes our work possible. When you contribute you might not see it but you are giving the water of life. You allow us to serve almost 1,000 men, women and children everyday who are thirsty for hope and in desperate need of love. When hope comes it is like a rock thrown in a pond with the ripples moving outward and going well beyond the original splash. In the same way that man or woman who embraces hope through Christ will impact family and friends immediately as well as generations to come!
We need your help. Summer is always a challenging time with donations traditionally being down while needs continue to grow. Will you consider making a donation now to continue providing the water of life each day?
Thanks in advance for your love and support. You are impacting the current generation and generations to come for Christ!
Count it a privilege to serve with you.
Jim Reese
Atlanta Mission President/CEO
