Page 145 of Cole

Pastor Kennedy’s voice broke, and he rubbed a hand over his eyes. “Earlier this week, the shelter contacted me to let me know that Ryan had lost his life. The voices that had told him that he wasn’t worth anything… that he wasn’t worthy of any love, let alone God’s love… finally won.”

Cole felt Annie’s hand tighten around his, and he looked down to see emotion on her face.

“We live in a hurting world. And for some, that hurt starts at a very young age. Whether it’s living in an abusive family or being a kid bullied at school, the hurt seems to only compound over the years for some.

“But the world is not without hope.” Pastor Kennedy picked up his Bible and held it in the air. “And as Christians, it is our responsibility to spread that hope to those who feel hopeless.”

He opened his Bible as a verse appeared on the overhead screens at the front of the sanctuary.

“One of the verses that led me into the work I do at the shelters and the prison is found in Isaiah 61:1.The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound.”

Another verse appeared on the screen.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.Jeremiah 29:11.

That was a verse that Cole was well-acquainted with. He’d memorized it as a teen.

“God wants to give us a future and a hope, but how will people know that if there’s no one to tell them? How will people know how much God loves them—so much that He gave His only son to die for our sins—if we don’t tell them? How will they witness the love of God if we don’t show them?

“You don’t need to be sent as a missionary or ordained as a pastor to bring change into the world. Even if your ability to reach others is limited and you can only touch the life of one person, that is amazing. The Bible talks about the shepherd who left his flock to go find the one lost sheep.Onelost sheep. It was that important to the shepherd.

“Each of you is important to God. You are loved by God. Even if you doubt the love of those around you, be secure in His. And then share that love with someone else.”

Pastor Kennedy paused again, his gaze falling to his open Bible. “And if you are here today feeling without hope, do notgive up. Do not give up on yourself. Most importantly, don’t give up on God.”

He placed his Bible on the podium, then spread his arms wide. “God loves you, and He loves this hurting world. Share His love with that world. Be a conduit of hope and love to those around you.”

As he listened to Pastor Kennedy continue to preach and share verses, Cole felt a weight settle on his chest. He had the opportunity to reach lots of people… lots of young people… but he’d never used the platform God had given him to spread a message of hope and God’s love.

“I want to ask those of you who are here today to commit yourselves to spreading God’s love and giving people hope. Before I close in prayer, I’d like to ask you to bow your heads. If you’re here today and need prayer for guidance on how to share God’s love with the world, you can raise your hand where you sit. Or if you’d like to, you can come to the front and pray with one of the deacons.”

As the piano played, Cole got to his feet. He meant to release Annie’s hand, not wanting to pull her forward with him, but she kept a hold of him and followed him past Aiden and Skylar into the aisle.

Tears spilled over the pastor’s cheeks as Cole approached the front. Pastor Kennedy’s emotional response to seeing him come forward just showed how much the man cared for everyone.

Cole went down on one knee in front of the steps and felt Annie kneel beside him. He knew she was already involved in helping at a women’s shelter, but he hoped that she’d be willing to join in him a bigger ministry of sharing the love of God.

“I’m here, son.” Glancing to the side, Cole saw that his dad had joined him, and then he felt hands on his shoulders and, without looking, he knew they belonged to his brothers.

“I want to have an impact for God,” Cole said. “I want to use the platform He’s given me to share His hope and love with the world.”

“Heavenly Father, You’ve heard Cole’s desire, and You know his heart,” his dad prayed. “Lead him to the people you would have him minister to. And we pray for Annie too as she stands at his side, that together, they will be able to offer Your hope to those without hope.”

Surrounded by his family—biological and church—Cole felt a peace settle over him. Suddenly, the uncertainty of the future didn’t weigh him down. Whatever he did, he knew that it would be with the focus of sharing His faith in a way he never had before.

After the pastor closed in prayer, Cole got to his feet, then helped Annie to hers. They were immediately encircled by family and Pastor Kennedy came down off the stage to shake his hand.

Cole kept his arm around Annie, wanting to keep her close because whether she realized it or not, she’d played a role in him reaching this point. He wanted to be a man worthy of her, worthy of leading her spiritually, because he knew with certainty that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.

After the service ended, they lingered in the sanctuary, surrounded by Cole’s family members, who seemed eager to catch up with him and spend more time with Annie.

“Cole,” Pastor Kennedy said, approaching them again. “If you’re serious about using your platform for ministry, I’d love to talk with you about some possibilities.”

“I am serious,” Cole affirmed, squeezing Annie’s hand. “Very serious.”

“Why don’t you give me a call when you have some free time?” the pastor suggested. “Alice and I have some connections with sports ministry organizations that might interest you.”

“I’d like that,” Cole said, feeling a renewed sense of purpose. “I’ll call you when I get back to LA.”

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