The World Was Full of Hope

The first Giving Key I got, had the word "Loved" on it. I had just gone through an extremely difficult storm, and there was nothing more important for me to know at that time, that I was loved. "Good Good Father" became my song. "You're a good good Father, that's who you are. And I'm Loved by You, that's who I am." I had the necklace for no more than a week, when I received a desperate call from a good friend. Her parents were checking her in to rehab in less than a week, and she wanted me to come with her. When we got to the facility and it was time to say goodbye for many weeks, I knew what I had to do. I hugged her tight and told her I always wanted her to know she was loved. So loved. By God. By her family. By me. I told her that once she could grasp that, everything would change. As I took off my necklace and put it on her neck, she cried.

Months later, on my birthday, I was in my room, watching a blizzard outside, and pondering the events of my life recently. I began to sob, overwhelmed by the grace that God had poured out of my life. Six months ago I was in the darkest storm I've ever been in and had barely made it out alive. I hadn't wanted to make it out alive. Six months ago I was desperate. Addicted. Hopeless. Now, I was celebrating my 18th birthday and was alive when I shouldn't be. I was no longer addicted. The world was full of hope. Instead of surviving at the mercy of 2 AM phone calls, now I had the opportunity to love on and pour out to people. I was happy to be alive and loving every second. I was dreaming again. So as my 18th birthday present to myself, I got a second giving key with the word "grace." I hope to wear it longer than 6 days this time, but I'm also overflowing with joy thinking about the day when God will call me to give it away and tattoo that word on someone else's heart.

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