Someday you’ll hear his story in full. I know you will. Perhaps it will be here on this blog. Perhaps it will be in the local paper. At your church. At a community event. But you’ll hear it…and when someday comes, it will be even better than it is today.

I love meeting people with a passion and a heart to make a difference. Today I had a long conversation with a new friend who I met a year or so ago, but today we really connected. He shared more of his past– a story of destructing the neighborhoods and city of Abilene and countless lives– and his present– a story of redemption, passion, and commitment to being part of the solution and a new future story not just for himself, but for our city, its neighborhoods (particularly one he worked so hard to destroy not so long ago) and the lives of young men living his earlier story.

One of the blessings of “connecting” is being inspired, challenged, and grateful for work already being done in neighborhoods where very little positive is being done.

One of the curses of being in nonprofits is the limited resources to support, encourage, build-up and increase the good work of those who are truly making a difference in our city.

When asked his biggest need to continue his work, he replied “credibility.” I’m glad he’s not waiting for someone to tell him he has credibility to care. I’m pretty confident there will be more on this at another time as my new friend and I build our friendship.