I almost decided to let the weather keep me from running last night. As I considered my options, I thought about all the homeless people that I see around Dallas who don't have the ability to go inside a home to stay dry and warm. They have to brave the elements that Mother Nature unloads on us, so I thought I would empathize with them and run in spite of the storm.
The rain poured. The wind blew. The thunder rolled (though not quite like the Garth Brooks song). I was cold. I was soaking wet. I was miserable. And on a day that would usually find White Rock Lake swarming with people, I was alone. I only counted 4 runners the entire time I circled the lake.
As I braved the elements, I thought about how many homeless people don't even have 4 people helping them through their struggle with homelessness. I didn't need anyone to help me run, so I wasn't worried about being alone. Homeless people, however, find themselves in serious need of help and without anyone to advocate for them. They are usually cold, soaking wet, miserable, and alone. That is definitely not a desirable way to live. Will you be someone who will hear their voices crying out and help them?
When I approached mile 7 of my run, the sun finally began to appear. The coolest thing about seeing the sun after a storm is how much brighter the sun shines than if the storm hadn't occurred! The appearance of the sun after a storm is so breathtaking that it actually makes you THANKFUL for the storm!
LifeNet Permanent Supportive Housing can be that light for homeless people. Their struggle doesn't have to end with them giving up during their storm. With your help, they can endure through their battle and eventually see housing become a reality.
As I ran and witnessed all of what nature was speaking to me, I couldn't help but think about how we are all like the homeless in some ways. We all have our struggles. We all have our storms. We all call on others when we can't seem to run through life anymore. I read a verse in the Bible Sunday night that really hammers this point home:
"The rich and the poor have a common bond, the LORD is the maker of them all." - Proverbs 22:2
I would not even be in Texas if I had not endured my own personal storm a few years ago. I won't go into the details, but the struggles of my storm literally had my at the bottom of a pit. I had never felt so much uncertainty, heartache, and sorrow before enduring that painful situation. As I ran through my own storm, I was encouraged by the realization that the storm would one day end. I listened to The Light Will Come, a song by Phil Wickham over and over again. Eventually, the light did come! The light came, and it shined brighter than it ever had before! (I even got to meet Phil Wickham, the man whose music God provided as a way for me to endure my storm)
Check out the song that was mentioned! The Light Will Come - Phil Wickham
So, how can you relate to the homeless? How can you get an idea of what it would be like to run through life in their shoes? Most importantly, how can you help them?
Please consider helping me through this journey of "Running for the Homeless" by making a donation to this cause. You can give a one-time donation in any amount or a certain amount per mile that I run the next two months. If you would like to give, checks can be made to LifeNet Housing and sent to:
LifeNet Community Behavioral Healthcare
ATTN: Development Department
9708 Skillman St
Dallas, TX 75243
Join us, Catch the Vision, and help by "Giving the Homeless a Second Chance"
Thanks,
Brandon
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