Chicago is one of the most exciting cities to visit in the U.S. It has the Willis Tower (formerly known as the Sears Tower), Navy Pier, Buckingham Fountain, Wrigley Field, and many other exciting attractions. There are many reasons to visit the Windy City.
And one of those reasons is the city’s people.
Although the city is both beautiful and culturally diverse, it also has pockets of people wh
o are in need of Christ’s love. There are people around the city who struggle to get by, and people whose hearts are hurting and spirits are dry.
o are in need of Christ’s love. There are people around the city who struggle to get by, and people whose hearts are hurting and spirits are dry.
One youth group from Forest Lake, Minnesota experienced this firsthand last year. After some prayer and a little direction from two new friends they’d met on the streets, the group felt the Lord was leading them to a bridge that was home to dozens of homeless people.
There they encountered people who changed their lives.
“As we walked around under the bridge we were heartbroken about the conditions the people were living in. All of them were so kind and
hopeful and didn’t deserve an ounce of what they were dealing with.
Many of the people we met with touched our hearts and changed our lives
for the better.” –Cerian Duren, one of the trip’s participants.
As the group ministered by handing out water and other supplies, they found themselves encouraged by the stories they heard, including one from Terry. Terry told them that despite his circumstances God had strengthened him to continue on in life. Cerina continues her story.
“We all poured our hearts out in prayer until one of the most amazing things happened, Terry started to pray. Terry
told us after praying that he hadn’t been so filled with joy that night
and that we lifted his spirits. While preparing to leave,Terry
started to tear up. He told us that he hadn’t cried in years and he was
so touched by us and felt loved by us.”
There are many other people like Terry in Chicago, around the country, and around the world. Is the Lord calling you to them?
You can touch others’ lives just by sharing the love God has given you. And you never know — you just may be loving someone who hasn’t felt it in a while.
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