When the Light Shines Through

If you read my last blog, you know that we have had a pretty rough time in our neighborhood lately. Little did we know that was only scratching the surface. In the past 48 hours we have had 20 gunshots in the middle of the night and an 8 year old boy riding his bike was the victim of a hit and run (he is recovering). I received a text message Sunday morning from a friend a few streets down saying, "I just witnessed a hold up, lock your doors." The neighborhood was swarming with concern on Sunday morning, but we noticed something.....it was bringing neighbors together in conversations about the safety of kids.

It's incredibly easy to get bogged down in the bad news. If we lose our focus we can slip into the mindset of fear. The "world" may be dark, but there are little lights shining all over this community. People are stepping up, walls are coming down and the hardened shell that so many of these kids put on in the beginning, is starting to crack as light shines through.

In the midst of a bad news morning, we were preparing for a big block party. There were a lot of people praying over our house and yard and we had complete peace about moving forward with the days events. Two missions teams and a small group from our church came and put on an amazing block party for our kids AND many of their parents came this time and participated. I had several conversations with Mom's who want to volunteer. There has been a SCAD movie filming next door and the director and crew walked over and participated and wanted to know how to sign up to volunteer this summer. YES! Light. Unity. Community.

Last night as we collapsed on the couch after an amazing day, we pulled up a movie on Netflix called, "In The Hive." This is not your family friendly, sugar coated, made for TV movie. It is very real. It is actually one of the best movies that mirrors so closely what we see and what we do. It is based on real events and is so incredibly powerful in the way it shows what many kids are up against and the difference having someone believe in you can make. If you want  a real world understanding of why we do what we do, watch it. If you don't have netflix, come over...we will gladly show it to you.

Throughout the movie, I kept looking over at Glenn like, "This is our story." The scenes were very real, they caused tears of understanding to run down our cheeks. One of the closing lines in the movie talks about the fact that it only takes one light to shut out darkness. We often feel like we are given an opportunity to start cracking the shell. It starts with building trust, being consistent and being a safe place.

The shells are sometimes thick and for a period we work with "little adults" because their demeanor is anything but a child's. Over time they soften and start to ask questions like kids, want to watch Disney movies, want a happy meal for the toy, laugh at our silly attempts to lighten the mood and eventually, if you wait long enough....they will reach out for a hug or sit down next to you and actually engage in conversation. The road to that point is long and sometimes painful. The one line from the movie that will stick with me is, "You're not afraid to die, You're afraid to really live." The streets teach you "Ride or Die." The other way? It's sometimes scary. When the voices around you start to consistently give you a different option, challenge the positive things in you, truth will reign. Truth will speak. Light will break through the calloused places.


Our kiddos teach me something everyday. They spur me on to be a better person. That challenge me. They inspire me.

A few days ago, I was teaching some kids the song "This little light of mine, i'm gonna let it shine. This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine. This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine. Let it shine. Let it shine. Let it shine."

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden." Matthew 5:14

We always need more light shiners...will you help us?

Let it Shine til Jesus comes,
Morgan