For the past few years I have followed a practice called One Word. You ask God to give you just one word for your life to carry through the new year, instead of making resolutions you will soon break. This year my word was Reclaim, after some recent struggles. My amazing daughters gave me a Giving Key with my word for Mother's Day. I was overwhelmed. And yes, I cried.
I live in Baton Rouge which just suffered flooding on a biblical scale: nearly 100,000 people affected in some way. We met a precious family of five who lost everything and are currently living in a hotel room. Needless to say, this is the person who needs my word, reclaim, much more than I do now.
Sweet Stephanie and her family must reclaim everything. Their former lives exist in a huge pile of soaking, moldy and smelling debris piled on the side of the road. Look around you, at everything you have, furniture, dishes, clothes, photos, four walls and a roof over your head. Now imagine in a matter of moments it is all destroyed. Everything you ever worked for, saved for, needed to just live every day. No food, no toothbrush even. Where do you start? You start by reclaiming one piece at a time. First a dry, clean place for your family. Then the necessities and food. Later the big stuff. It will take so very long.
She was overcome to receive this key. We embraced and cried. This is so much more than a key. Thank you for what you do.
-Sheri
