A Second Chance

In the early pre-dawn light this morning, I looked out onto a world that was completely layered in white. Bright against the darkness, even before the glint of sunlight had touched it, the landscape looked pristine and innocent; stark - yet vibrant with possibility.

I thought about how our world needs a second chance. I wondered what it would be like if we could all wake up and get a do-over. If we could wipe the slate clean and begin with a fresh white sheet of paper. What would the script of our lives look like?

I have terrible penmanship. I absolutely love words, and just wish I could write them in a more beautiful way. So, often when I start to handwrite a note or a page in my journal, I begin carefully, slowly forming my letters as perfectly as I can. Before long, however, I get frustrated that I can't do this quickly enough to keep up with my thoughts. I have a feeling that a new chance at life may become a messy endeavor as well.

This week, we will receive women into our residential program for the first time. The house is freshly painted and beautifully decorated. It is poised, ready to become a one-year home for women who desperately want a do-over for their lives. We know that what looks like a scene from Better Homes and Gardens will feel like a bloody battlefield before much progress is made. Most of them began life in a messy situation, by no fault of their own; and it may seem to get worse before it gets better. But if they will allow God to carry them through it and to fight with and for them, there will be a peaceful victory.

The snow coming this week was perfect...