[alex]Sander.
You are a brave, courageous and fearless, you are intelligent and determined, you are curious and extremely creative. You always have me laughing, because yes, you’re funny and playful but you’re also a carrier of joy. That means that more than happiness, you receive joy from God so that even in the hardest of times his love turns to joy deep down in your heart and it pours out onto everyone you meet…myself included. Thank you for letting your guard down and for letting me in.
Meeting you has changed me, it’s opened my eyes and my heart in ways that I never could have expected because I never saw it coming – but God knew what he was doing. In just the few short weeks that I’ve know you – I’ve learned more about being fully dependent on God than I have in my whole life, and that’s because I’ve learned I have to trust him to take care of you. I came on the world race hoping to learn more about love, about true, relentless, unconditional love. See I used to only be capable of love when I gained something in return. Only one thing has to change for us to experience a heart change, like where we focus our attention. Praying for you, for your safety every night you call the streets home, praying for you to find hope in the fathers love instead of a bag of drugs, praying for you to feel peace instead of shame even if you make a mistake, prayers that you’ll one day reunite with your family, prayers for your dreams, for the places you’ll go, the people you’ll meet and for God to provide for you beyond any of our wildest expectations – in those prayers i’ve found myself too. You say you love me because I’ve helped you…well buddy, you’ve helped me too.
Sometimes we can get a little lost in this world and it makes us wonder if we’re seen, if we’re heard, if we’re sought after, if we’re loved. Alexander, you don’t have to question it or ask for us to chase after you. You are loved more than you could ever know, by me, by every single person in Streetlight, by your family and your brother, by your friends – but more than anyone else you are extremely loved by God. His love is always. There is always more for you, more than enough, it will never run out. So trust in his unfailing goodness. Trust that there’s nothing you could ever do to change the way he sees you or the love he has for you, his arms will always be wide open, waiting patiently for you.
Believe in your talents, in your abilities, in your self-worth. Believe that you are special. That you are meaningful. Your life is significant. Your story matters, because of who you are and because of how God is working in and through you. You are a leader, people listen to what you say and follow your actions.
Be soft. Be gentle. Be kind. Be good. Do not hide from love or push people away. Do not let the world make you hard. Even if things hurt, do not let pain make you hate. Be quick to forgive. Reach out to people and tell them how you’re feeling, do not be embarrassed to ask for help or to let people care for you. Treat each day like you’re back in the pool, where I ask if you trust me and you say yes, you lay on your back, arms stretched wide, eyes closed, grinning from ear to ear, learning to float.
Seek God always, dream big, hold onto that joy in your heart and be a warrior for love.
Love, Popcorn
(yes, thats my given streetname)
