5 min read
Gratitude in Recovery
One of UGM’s core values is Thankfulness, and this month we reflect on the pursuit of gratitude in our day-to-day lives and in the work of healing...
“Can a mother forget her infant,
be without tenderness for the child of her womb?
Even should she forget,
I will never forget you.” (Isaiah 49:15)
I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN COMPREHEND God’s desire to reconcile with His children and the lengths to which He will go (has, in fact, gone) to bring us back to Himself, but a mother’s longing to be reconciled to her children does give us a glimpse.
Without question, one of the strongest motivators for women to seek recovery is the fear of losing their children or the desire to get them back. I remember Sarah from the cover story lighting up when she told me about regaining custody of her daughter. These are the humans they grew in their bodies and carried for nine months. The connection is strong, and the joy at their reunion comes from a place deep inside them.
Jesus tells three parables about this same type of joy: the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost son. The shepherd goes searching for his wayward sheep and joyfully puts it on his shoulders when he finds it. You can almost hear him humming and whistling all the way home. The woman cleans her house, sweeps and searches in every cranny until she discovers the missing coin. When she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors so they can rejoice with her. And the father, an older, dignified man, runs to meet his son while he is still a long way off. He throws his arms around him, kisses him and calls for a feast. “This son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.”
Like the son in the parable, our separation from God is on us. We are the ones who walked away, and still He pursues us.
God longs to be reconciled to His children. He formed us in the womb, inscribed our names on the palm of His hand and numbered our days. And even when we rejected Him, He sent His Son to become a man, live a perfect life and die a horrible death—all so that we could be welcomed back into His warm embrace.
It’s this message of reconciliation that we share at Union Gospel Mission. There is no sheep too lost, no son too far gone, that the grace of God cannot bring him home. Thank you for partnering with us to share this good news with every man, woman and child who comes through our doors.
3 min read
A Pathfinder Responding to the Call from God
by Daniel Dailey, UGM volunteer I used to think, “If I’m going to be involved with anything like UGM, it needs to be effective.” The Holy Spirit...
4 min read
World Homeless Day
Every year on October 10, people around the world take a day to acknowledge the needs of those in their communities facing homelessness, and we...
As a Mother Loves Her Child: A heart-to-heart message from Phil Altmeyer
Phil Altmeyer, Executive Director : December 7, 2022
“As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you.” (Isaiah 66:13) For the past ten years, I’ve been teaching the UGM women’s Bible study. I...
Barber to the Homeless
Barbara Comito, former marketing director : November 14, 2014
Who is My Brother? By Barbara Comito Ron, UGM's Day Room Manager, has been getting his hair cut at Dan's Barber Shop by Jody for about eight years....
