My first time leading worship as a young seminarian I walked boldly up to the podium, cleared my throat, looked down at the liturgy, and confidently recited the words “In God there is no hope.”
Oops. Yea, big oops.
I have no idea where the “no” came from. No idea why it entered my mind or came out of my mouth. My heart sank, my mood changes, and my mind became completely flustered.
Suddenly I felt like I couldn’t do anything right; like I had no hope.
Often I get asked if Kids Hope USA focuses primarily on relationships or on academics. My answer? Both. At the very core we focus on hope.
I think John Ortberg nails it in his unpacking of hope, “When hope dies, motivation dies. There is no longer any reason to try anything. But once hope enters a child’s heart – anything is possible.”
Hope is what every child needs to hear. Hope is what every child needs to feel. Hope is what every child needs to believe.
When I stand in front of churches now, I carry with me what I felt that first time. And, it fuels the simple message, “Kids need hope.”
Reaching 12,400 children through 747 church-school partnerships…and growing!