Two New Families

Today I had the great honor of telling two families that they have been approved as Habitat Partner Families. I love making these calls. The emotions are always so varied. Some people get really excited and whoop and yell. Other people start crying. Others are just quietly grateful.
I have the honor to be the person who first gets to tell them the good news. I congratulate them and then tell them that now the hard work of partnership begins. They will have to complete 500 sweat equity hours. They will have to attend required classes. They will fill out tons of forms. They will have to recruit others to help them build their homes.
This is really the fun part of my job. It's so wonderful to hear the varied reactions and to be able to offer hope to people who have been rejected and denied so many times before. It's the beginning of a whole new part of their lives. Habitat will walk with them and support them, but they still have to do all of the hard work themselves.
I ask for your prayers for these two new Habitat Partner Families. They have a challenging road ahead of them. It will test their patience. Hopefully, the process will also cause them to change old patterns of behavior and thinking. Most of all, I hope that God will work in their hearts as they work along side volunteers and staff who want to see them succeed. This is a day of new beginnings. It's a day that will launch their path towards becoming home owners of safe, decent, affordable homes.
Thank you for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

A Walking Advertisement

I stopped a local restaurant this evening on my way home from work to get some dinner. As I sat down at my table, a woman sitting at a table nearby said, "There's someone from Habitat." I wondered how she knew I was with Habitat for Humanity and then I realized I was wearing a shirt with the TriState Habitat for Humanity logo on it. Duh!
Anyway, I went over to the table and the woman introduced herself and her husband who was sitting with her to me. I introduced myself. We then talked for several minutes and I discovered that this couple volunteers with the Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity affiliate. They are very active construction volunteers and have been volunteering with Habitat for a number of years. In fact, they met for the first time as a single people on a Habitat job site and are now married.
After our conversation, I went back to my table and said a prayer of thanksgiving for running into these two dedicated Habitat volunteers. I was so glad that I was wearing my shirt. I am proud to be a walking advertisement for Habitat. I am passionate about our mission and the work that we do. I want the world to know the difference that Habitat is making in the TriState region, the United States, and around the world. I am so proud to be able to represent Habitat and to be able to connect with others who share my passion for bringing an end to poverty housing in the world.
I also got to thinking about how I am not always the best walking advertisement for my faith. I don't always represent Christ to the world in the most positive manner. I only need to look to my morning commute to recognize this. I am too often filled with road rage and certainly don't offer much grace to the drivers around me who I am convinced are all on the road driving stupidly just to make me mad.
I also am not the best ambassador for Christ when I remain silent in the face of the injustice I see in life. I often times would rather just not make any waves rather than stand up for what I know to be right in God's eyes. I take the easy way out by often people are led to believe that I accept the injustice that is taking place because I am silent.
So, tonight I'm giving God thanks for the opportunity I had to be a witness for the mission of Habitat. I am also praying that God will give me the courage and peace to be a more faithful witness for Jesus in the world.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Prayer Request

Thanks for your prayers for the home visit I did today. It went well. I always enjoy meeting applicants and hearing their stories.
I have another prayer request. TriState Habitat for Humanity has a huge need for construction site leaders. These are volunteers who oversee each house construction project. They organize and plan for each project. They help order materials and keep the construction process moving forward. They teach, encourage, and support volunteers as they go about their various tasks. They communicate with our Partner Families regarding the construction process.
Site leaders need to have at least some basic construction knowledge, be willing to be trained, have a lot of patience, and have good people skills. This is not for the faint hearted. It is a challenging volunteer position with a lot of responsibilities. It takes a very special person to be a site leader.
With all of this said, I am confident that just the right people are out there. The challenge is we need to find them and invite them to take a leap of faith and join the ministry of TriState Habitat for Humanity.
If we don't get more people to serve as site leaders, we are not going to be able to increase our capacity to serve more families. Right now, there are parts of our service area in which families are going to have to wait nearly two years before we will even start their homes simply because we don't have enough site leaders. They will have to continue living in substandard conditions simply because of a lack of leadership.
So, there it is. Scripture tells us that we have not because we ask not. Well, I'm asking you to join me in asking God to help us to help families. Please pray that God will send site leaders our way and that we will be able to continue to expand the good and faithful work of TriState Habitat for Humanity.
Thank you for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

A Busy Week Ahead

It looks like this is going to be another busy week of work for me. Tomorrow I am traveling to Batavia, Ohio to meet with one of our Habitat Partner Families. They will be making their materials selection and we will review their house plans as we make preparations for construction of their home. I also have a staff meeting tomorrow afternoon
Tuesday I'm meeting with another Partner Family to talk about the construction progress on their home. Along with this, our auditor will be in the office starting on Tuesday for four days. This is always a bit anxiety producing.
On Wednesday afternoon I am headed to Oxford, Ohio for a home visit with a family who has applied for our home ownership program. I am meeting a new volunteer with Habitat who will be doing the home visit with me. I am looking forward to getting to meet this family and hearing their story.
I also have plans to work on some more family recruitment efforts in different parts of our service area and I still have new applications for home ownership to process.
I definitely don't think I will be bored. I hope you have a great week. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

A Good Morning

It was a good morning today. The wall raising went off really well. We had a good turnout of volunteers, family and friends to support the Habitat Partner Family on this very special day as we raised the first walls of their house. The pastor did a great job in his devotional. There seemed to be a lot of energy in the air. It was also great to have the Mayors of Hamilton, Ohio and Fairfield, Ohio present for the wall raising. After the wall raising service, my friend Karen and I went to lunch. It was nice just to visit and catch up with one another.
I continue to feel so blessed at this time in my life. I am ever grateful that God has brought me to this place at this time.
I hope you are having a great weekend. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Wall Raising Tomorrow

I am really excited that we have another wall raising service tomorrow for a new Habitat house that we are starting. This house is being built for a family in my current hometown of Hamilton, Ohio. The Mayor of Hamilton will be present for the wall raising service along with some other community leaders. I think it will be a great day of celebration. It's been a while since we finished the last house in Hamilton so I'm glad we are getting started with this house.
This family has waited for a long time to finally see this day come. I know it will be a blessing as the first walls are raised by volunteers to help another family in need move from substandard housing to a safe, decent, affordable home. It will be a true celebration.
I ask for your prayers for this new build and for this Partner Family. I've been with Habitat long enough to realize that nothing ever goes smoothly in construction. There will be delays and set backs and disappointments as we move forward. The family will want it to go faster than it is going. There will be challenges along the way that will test every one's patience. Please pray that the family will experience God's peace during this time of waiting. Please also pray for the safety of our volunteers and staff. Please also pray that God will help this build to be a positive witness to the mission and ministry of Habitat for Humanity in Hamilton and beyond.
Thank you for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

House Dedication

I will lift up my eyes to the hills—
From whence comes my help?
My help comes from the LORD,
Who made heaven and earth.
He will not allow your foot to be moved;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, He who keeps Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD is your keeper;
The LORD is your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
The LORD shall preserve you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul.
The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.
- Psalm 121, NKJV

I participated in a house dedication today in Rising Sun, Indiana. The Habitat Partner Family's parents donated a parcel of land from their farm on which to build the family's house. It is located on the top of a hill with views of the Ohio River and the hills of Kentucky across the river.
I had the privilege of giving the devotional for the service and I decided to use Psalm 121 as the basis for my devotional. It was extremely fitting given the setting for this house. I talked about how the house placed on top of that hill is truly a blessing from God. I reminded the family that most Habitat families don't get the privilege of a view like they have from the top of that hill. Whenever the family lifts up their eyes to the hills, they will be thinking of home and the many ways in which God has blessed them.
The Psalmist also reminds us that our true help comes from the Lord. I reminded the family and everyone gathered there that this is true for us today as well. This family could not have done this without God's help. God was with them and watching over them as they waited and hoped for this day to arrive. It is only by God's help that they will have a safe, decent, affordable home.
I also pointed out the verse: "God shall preserve your going out and your coming in." I invited the family to remember that every time they go in and out of the doors of their new home that God will be with them. That while there are most certainly new challenges ahead of them, God will never ever leave them alone. They are loved by God and nothing will ever change that reality.
The other wonderful part of the service was the dedication of a tree planted in the yard of this home. It was donated by volunteers in memory of one of our volunteer construction site leaders who died of cancer several weeks ago. He had volunteered on several homes before this one and started out helping to lead this build as well. There is a stone engraved with the volunteer's name, the years of his birth and death, and the Habitat logo.
It was a great day of celebration and another reminder of why I love this work and ministry. I am truly blessed.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

House Dedication

This evening I traveled to Batavia, Ohio in Clermont County for the house dedication for one of our Habitat Partner Families. It was a huge blessing for me to be there as it always is. This is a family of eight people that includes a mom, a dad, and six boys. I am always impressed whenever I am with this family. The boys are extremely well-mannered and a joy to be around.
What impresses me most about this family is the love and support shown by their church family. There were several of their church members in attendance at the dedication along with their pastor who led the devotion. One of their fellow church members gave a testimony about the kindness that our Habitat Partner Family had shown him when he was in need. Throughout the entire Partnership process, even when it didn't seem like it was ever going to happen, this family faced adversity with joy and great faith. They knew that God had wonderful plans for them and their new house is a living testimony to their faith and perseverance.
Everyone who participated in the house dedication did a great job and God used them to share God's love and give witness to the work of God that had been accomplished in the building of this house. It was a time to thank God for the all of the time and energy of the volunteers and gifts of the donors. It was also a time to offer prayers and praise to the God who calls us to kingdom work. I found myself tearing up several times during the service. As always, I felt honored to be a part of the miracle that is Habitat for Humanity.
I ask for your prayers for this family. We are so close to being done with their house but there are several hoops that we still need to jump through before we will be able to close. There are some construction things that still need to be done. There are also some grant applications that need to be completed. We will have to make sure all the bills are paid and the final sale cost is established. We also need to work with the attorneys so that they can prepare the closing documents.
In the meantime, this family is still living in substandard conditions in a house that too small for them. Also, the boys will be starting school in the coming weeks and in the midst of all of that transition, the family will have to think about packing and moving. So, this is certainly going to be a stressful time and one that will test their patience. Soon, though, they will be able to realize their dream.
Another family is about to move from horrible living conditions to a safe, decent, affordable home. They will sign their closing documents, receive the keys to their new home, and God will be honored. Then we will move on to give the next Partner Family a hand up out of poverty housing and the mission and ministry will continue.
Thank you for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

A Trip to New Richmond

This afternoon I was on the road to New Richmond, Ohio. New Richmond is located in Clermont County. It is an historic village located on the Ohio River. The population of New Richmond according to the 2010 Census is 2589.
The reason I traveled to New Richmond today was to talk with one of our Partner Families who is considering living in New Richmond. The family lives in a different area and they wanted to check out the town and the property that Habitat has available in New Richmond.
The town has some very beautiful historic homes. There is also a small business district that has a few little shops and restaurants. My favorite building is a really cool Art Deco style bank.
I am grateful that we are able to build simple, decent, affordable homes in New Richmond. TriState Habitat for Humanity is certainly making a difference in the lives of families in that town along the Ohio River. I am also grateful to spend some time with one of our dedicated volunteers and this Habitat Partner Family.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Wall Blessing

This morning I attended a wall blessing service in Lebanon, Ohio for a new Habitat home that we are just starting. We normally do a wall raising service but due to weather and other circumstances with the construction process, we were not able to raise the walls today and so we decided to do a wall blessing.
Volunteers began constructing the wall this morning at 8:30 AM. At 10:00 AM, the volunteers paused their work and others gathered for the wall blessing service. There were prayers of blessing and introduction of the Partner Family. After this, everyone was invited to write something with a marker on the walls. Some people wrote prayers. Some people wrote Scripture verses. Others wrote messages to the family.
It was a neat experience that I found meaningful. To know that my words of blessing will be written on the walls of this new house for as long as it stands was a humbling thing to realize. Even though the writing will be covered up with drywall, I hope and pray that God will allow these words to be a sign and symbol of a hedge of protection and blessing for this Partner Family.
I wrote: May all who live within these walls experience the love and peace of God. May it be so.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Mission and Ministry

Today was a really good day of worship at my church. Bishop John G. Innis of The United Methodist Church in Liberia was our guest speaker. It was wonderful to hear about the ministry of the church in Liberia and how God is working through the people there.
We also heard a report from the Awaken the City mission program that is sponsored by my church. It brings church groups from the region and other parts of the country to Cincinnati for a week at a time. The groups volunteer at inner city soup kitchens, food pantries, senior centers, and churches.
We also had an impromptu prayer for one of our pastors who has been receiving treatment for cancer. According to the doctors, his cancer is now in remission. Several congregation members came forward to lay hands on the pastor and his wife and pray for them.
On my way home after worship, I said a prayer of thanksgiving for my congregation and its many ministries. I really feel like I need to get more involved and I felt like this morning was just another sign from God that I need to move forward in taking a more active role in using my gifts to build up the Body of Christ.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

A Wild and Busy Day

Today was my first day back at work after being off for an extended weekend. The best thing I can say about my day is that I am glad it's over. I guess that's not really true. There were some really cool moments. One really great thing happened this morning. I traveled to Oxford, Ohio to orient a new Family Advocate. Advocates journey with our Partner Families from the time they are accepted as Partner Families until a year after they close on their homes. It's one of the most rewarding and can be one of most challenging volunteer positions within our Habitat affiliate. I really enjoyed spending time with this new Advocate this morning. I am always filled with gratitude when new people step forward to serve in this way.
The hard work started when I got back to the office. My desk was piled with a stack of papers. My inbox was filled to the brim. My voicemail box had several messages to which I needed to respond. As I sat down at my desk, I began to feel overwhelmed by it all. We have two wall raisings and a house dedication coming up this month and I am wondering how I'm going to get everything done. I felt like should stay until midnight to try to get caught up. However, I only stayed until about six because my brain was fried.
The good thing is that tomorrow is a new day. I know there are at least two new applications waiting for me to process. These always hold great hope for me when I get to read over them and come alongside families who dream of owning a safe, decent, affordable home.
I also realize that I don't have to do all of my work alone. I am a part of a wonderful team of staff members who support me and help me to deal with the challenges that I face. I also know that there are volunteers like the Family Advocate I met with today who are dedicated and who want to see families succeed as home owners. I also realize that I believe in a God Who goes before me and loves me and lifts me up when it feels like I can't go on.
When I think about all of these signs of grace in my life, that stack of papers on my desk doesn't seem so high or scary.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Back to Work Tomorrow

Tomorrow I head back to work after an extended weekend. I'm grateful that it will be a short week. I don't know if I could handle a full week of work after being off for so many days.
While I know that there will be a lot of work waiting for me when I get back to the office, I am looking forward to getting back to work. I have enjoyed a relaxing time off but I am also anxious to get some stuff done especially in the area of family recruitment. I also am orienting a new volunteer Family Advocate tomorrow. July looks like it will be a busy month with two wall raisings as we start new homes and one house dedication. We also have a closing scheduled next week for a family. My guess is that July is going to be a blur of activity.
Well, I'd better get to bed. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Almost Finished

So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts its mouth.

- Job 5:16, NRSV

I had a meeting today in Middletown, Ohio and on my way home I stopped by Trenton, Ohio where TriState Habitat for Humanity is just finishing up a house. There was a lone volunteer working at the house and I got to talk with him for a few minutes and thank him for all of his work. I told him that I just wanted to take a peek at the house.
I then got to walk through the house. It's been a long time since I was at the house and it was amazing at how far the house has come. I walked in the front door and was just overwhelmed with the miracle that was before my eyes. While not everything is done, it's very close. The walls are all painted. The kitchen cabinets and counter tops are installed. The vinyl is installed and we are not far from installing the carpeting. I walked into every room and said a prayer of thanksgiving for all of the time, donations, and talent that had gone into this house.
This almost finished house is a sign and symbol of God's presence and movement in the world. It is a sign of the kingdom of God in our midst. It is one tangible way that God is busy turning the world upside down. Soon a family will be living in this house. They will move from substandard conditions to a safe, decent, affordable home in which to live. They will also begin to pay it forward with each mortgage payment they make. That money will be used to help TriState Habitat for Humanity build new homes for other families.
As I got back in my car to head home, I paused to thank God for the gift to the world that is Habitat for Humanity. I thank God for the honor and privilege of working with families in need. I thank God for being able to serve and live out the love of God every day at work.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Pay Day

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.

- Isaiah 61:1, NIV

 
I had the privilege of participating in a house dedication in Oxford, Ohio this morning. I am always honored and humbled to be a part of these services. They are true celebrations and remind me of why I do what I do.
During the service I shared with those gathered for the dedication that while the TriState Habitat for Humanity have regular pay days every two weeks in which we get salaries for our work, witnessing a family realizing their dream of home ownership was really our pay day. Every time we get to present the keys to a soon-to-be home owner, it's worth more than any money that we might earn. Every time we get to help a family move from sub-standard housing into a safe, decent, affordable home, we are richly blessed. Every time we have the chance to see the results of the time and efforts of volunteers, donors, and staff, we are witnessing the kingdom of God becoming a reality.
So, today for me was a pay day. I got to be a witness to God at work in Oxford, Ohio. I got to see first hand the Holy Spirit moving in the life a family living in sub-standard conditions. I got to experience the joy of bringing Good News to the poor. I got to see a dream come true for a family.
For all of this and more, I am grateful to God for this work and ministry. I cannot imagine myself doing anything else. I am truly blessed beyond my wildest dreams. I am grateful for the honor of being in this place for such a time as this.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Family Advocates

I got to meet with and orient a new Family Advocate in my work with TriState Habitat for Humanity today. Family Advocates are volunteers who work with our Partner Families from the time that they are approved as Partner Families until a year after they close on their homes. This is a huge commitment and we are blessed to have so many dedicated volunteers who agree to journey with our Partner Families in this way.
One of the things that I talk about with new Family Advocates is that advocacy is really about "doing with" the Partner Family rather than "doing for" the Partner Family. The most effective Advocates come alongside Partner Families and both hold them accountable to the expectations of Habitat partnership and encourage them. Advocates are the people our Partner Families can lean on for encouragement when they are struggling with balancing their work schedules, family schedules, and trying to complete their 500 hours of sweat equity. However, Advocates are not supposed to do the hours for their assigned families. Sometimes they have to use "tough love" and remind their assigned families of the agreements they made when they signed their letters of intent to partner with Habitat.
Being a Family Advocate is both a great joy and a lot of hard work. It involves a lot of paper work, regular contact with the Partner Family, and commitment to the mission of Habitat for Humanity to give families a hand up rather than a hand out. Advocacy requires a lot of patience, good listening skills, and a passion for working with the poor.
I give God thanks and praise that we have so many wonderful volunteers who feel called to serve as Family Advocates. I am grateful for the help that they give to our Partner Families and for their willingness to be the face of Jesus to them.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Dirty Shoes

As I shared with you in a previous post, I had the honor on Saturday of participating in a wall raising service in Oxford, Ohio. This is the first house that TriState Habitat for Humanity is building in what will be a twenty home subdivision. The subdivision is called Reckford Woods named in honor of the current CEO of Habitat for Humanity Jonathan Reckford. There will be two cul-de-sacs in the subdivision: Carter Court (named after President Jimmy Carter) and Fuller Way (named after Millard Fuller, founder of Habitat for Humanity).
As a part of the wall raising service, I gave a devotional. In my devotional, I talked about the shoes I was wearing. I shared with those gathered that for the wall raising that these shoes were my wall raising service shoes. They are my old tennis shoes. I don't care if they get dirty or muddy. In fact, when I put them on last Saturday morning, there was still mud on these shoes from the last wall raising service in Northern Kentucky. I also probably had mud from an earlier wall raising service in Clermont County, Ohio.
I told the volunteers and Habitat Partner Family that they would most likely leave with mud or dirt on their shoes and that was okay. They would be taking a little bit of that site with them to where they live and work and learn and play. This is a good thing because at that moment they were standing on holy ground. Before time began, God knew that a miracle would take place on that land. God knew that people from different backgrounds and faith communities would come together for a common purpose. God knew that a family would one day have a safe, decent, affordable home in which to live on that land. By taking that dirt with them on their shoes, the volunteers, staff, and Partner Family were spreading God's holiness and grace out into the world. They were going to also carry their excitement and acts of service with them as well. That mud and dirt is a sign and symbol of God's amazing grace.
When I came home, I noticed that I had some new mud on my shoes. When I saw that mud, I gave God thanks for the miracle that I am a part of that is Habitat for Humanity. I thanked God for the chance I have every day to serve the least of these in our world. I thanked God for the lessons that our Partner Families teach me. I thanked God for the volunteers and staff who work so hard to make the dream of home ownership possible for families living in poverty. I thanked God for the nineteen other families who I have not even met yet who will one day take a step of faith to apply for our home ownership program.
I am truly blessed beyond my wildest dreams. For me, ministry does not get much better than this. I love this work - mud and all!
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

A Call to Ministry

Today we had a guest speaker at my church. Alesia Smith is the Principal of Rothenberg Preparatory Academy in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood of Cincinnati. If you don't know, the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood is considered a high-crime neighborhood and many of its residents live below the poverty line. While there is some redevelopment taking place in Over-the-Rhine, it is in many ways a very under served neighborhood. Many people in the Cincinnati would be afraid to travel to Over-the-Rhine out of fear of the crime that takes place there. I have been to Over-the-Rhine and while there are certainly signs of urban decay but there are also some really wonderful things about Over-the-Rhine. It has a rich history and some beautiful architecture. Also, one of the things that I have learned over the years is that no matter where you go, people are people.
Principal Smith challenged my congregation to pray for Rothenberg Academy. She also called us to pray about what we might do. She said that they don't need money. What they need is time. They need people to spend time with their students. They need mentors and prayer partners and after-school program leaders. They need people to be present.
Principal Smith's challenge spoke to my heart. I'm not sure what God is calling me to do. I don't have to make any decisions now since school is almost done for the summer. However, in the fall, my church is asking for 35 volunteers to serve as mentors for the second graders. I am going to pray about this. I have served as a mentor in the past and really enjoyed it. I know that it would be really rewarding and I would learn much.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

A Wonderful Day

Today was a wonderful day! I wasn't sure how it was going to go when I woke up this morning. I didn't get a lot of sleep last night and I had a hard time prying myself from beneath the covers when my alarm clock went off. However, I got moving and thanked God for the sunny cool morning as I headed to Northern Kentucky for the wall raising service for one of our Habitat Partner Families.
The wall raising service was great. We had a lot of people including groups from a local Firestone plant and a Catholic high school. This week is also National WomenBuild Week for Habitat for Humanity International. It's the week when women are encouraged to volunteer with Habitat and participate in our mission of ending poverty housing in the world.
The Partner Family was so excited as we raised the walls. The mother especially got a bit choked up when she was thanking everyone. She offered gratitude to God, to her church, to her family, and to everyone gathered there for helping to make her dream of home ownership a reality. I must admit that I got a bit teary-eyed when she began to speak. I have the humbling honor of knowing a lot more of the details of families' stories and this family, like many of our families, has had a rough road. So, today was a huge milestone and a great day of celebration.
This afternoon I attended a workshop in Springboro, Ohio that focused on how to get published. It was a good class. I think I come away from the workshop feeling a bit overwhelmed by the whole idea of publishing my writing. I don't know if I have what it takes to really do it. I enjoy writing but one of the points that the presenter really drove home was that publishing is a business and to get published you have to think like a business person. That is hard for me to do when it comes to my writing. It is very personal and hard to think about like a commodity to be bought and sold. I know that's what the reality is. I just don't know if I have the energy and entrepreneurial spirit to take the next step. I guess this is something I need to really pray about.
I'm really looking forward to attending my church tomorrow. I also am looking forward to spending some time with my family for Mother's Day and my nephew Cameron's birthday.
I hope you are having a great weekend. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

An Evening of Celebration and Thanksgiving

Tonight was a wonderful evening of celebration and thanksgiving. We held our annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner for TriState Habitat for Humanity. It was awesome! We got to hear some wonderful testimonies and celebrate what God is doing in our midst.
We heard the personal story of a teenage girl whose mother is a Habitat home owner. The girl talked about how having a safe, decent, affordable home has made all the difference in her life. She later sang a song and brought those gathered to our feet with applause.
I then got to introduce the Habitat Partner Family for whom we are building TriState Habitat for Humanity's 200th home in Trenton, Ohio. It was great to be able to tell her story and tell people about what she is looking forward to as her house is constructed.
We then thanked volunteers and gave small gifts to them according to the number of years they have volunteered.
We also got to witness the symbolic passing of the hammer from our current Executive Director to our new Executive Director.
I come away from this evening inspired and thankful for all that God has done and is doing in the life of TriState Habitat for Humanity. I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to serve those in need. I am grateful for the wonderfully gifted volunteers with whom I work. I am thankful that God has led me to this place at this time. I am blessed and filled with hope when I think about all that God is doing in my life.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!