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"BELIEVE" was the theme of UGM's Annual Banquet this year. The event was full of amazing stories of life transformation: men and women changed from the inside out when they stopped believing lies and started believing the truth.

The lies ran along familiar themes: You're stupid. You need to be perfect. Asking for help is weakness. You're all alone. No one understands. No one will ever understand. You are unlovable.believe-thumb You don't measure up and you must measure up in order to be loved. You need to try harder. A temporary escape through alcohol/drugs/sex/food/work is the best you can hope for in this life.

The truth, which is so deep and wide that you can spend your whole life exploring and digesting it, can also be expressed simply: Life only makes sense within the context of God's great love, and you don't have to earn it. You couldn't if you wanted to. Believe the truth: God loves you just as you are.

This week also marked the death of Brennan Manning, whose books all centered on that truth. The video below will give you a taste of what he sought to communicate to all of us who long to be loved.

 

~Barbara Comito, UGM staff writer

The Father I Found: Pat’s Story of Redemption

4 min read

The Father I Found: Pat’s Story of Redemption

At eight years old, Pat’s mom would share a beer with him. “Instantly, I was addicted.” At thirteen, drug and alcohol abuse became a constant. “My...

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A Lifetime of Service and Beyond

5 min read

A Lifetime of Service and Beyond

Vern Scoggin, UGM's longest-serving board member, has overseen remarkable growth and change for over half of UGM's existence. Joining in 1985, he was...

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A Gift that Lasts

5 min read

A Gift that Lasts

For years, UGM has been blessed to receive countless gifts from faithful partners who included the ministry in their estate plan. Today, we have 256 ...

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Hypocrite

Hypocrite

My teenage daughters told me the other day that they grew up thinking “hypocrite” was a bad word, akin to calling someone a curse word. Funny how our...

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Mashell's Story

Mashell's Story

At 25, the message of God’s love seemed like a foreign language to Mashell. She did not have the receptors to take it in. She believed, as she had...

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Taking Risks

Taking Risks

“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” – Philippians 4:13

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