A number of year ago I was teaching a Poverty 101 session and we were having a little Q & A at the end when I was asked what should have been a simple question. The woman wanted to know what our goal was in...
It is a challenging time! Giving is down in all sectors of the non-profit world. Governments are talking about taxing non-profits. Many of our families are dealing with major life challenges. Yet I have hope. Why? Because money doesn’t define us. The government will do what it wants, and...
On April 4, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated on the balcony of his hotel in Memphis, TN. On the 50th anniversary of his passing, we honor the legacy of this powerful speaker, writer and leader of the civil rights movement — a...
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” -Martin Luther King, Jr. My prayer today is that we always give voice to the voiceless and support to the powerless. May we be Christ to the least and the lost. May...
Martin Luther King, Jr. faced many oppositions to his goal of civil rights for all. Folks on each side of the issue criticized and attacked his work. He relentlessly pushed forward, despite the opposition. One who opposed him eventually killed him. Yet his dream did not...
Your gift made during the Christmas season helps us to provide hope to break the cycle of poverty all year long! Shepherd isn’t just here one month a year, but daily, all year long we are working hard to serve our neighbors. This would not be...
The story of Shepherd is not about the stats of the neighborhood, or even the programs Shepherd offers. The story of Shepherd consists of the many lives that have been transformed through the love of Christ. Lives that came to Shepherd as children, and we walked...
I awoke this morning to the news reports of tragedy in Dallas. I heard the reports on other tragic deaths in police action shootings. All of these are tragic…all heartbreaking. It’s not just that there is violence, but it’s heartbreaking because we believe every life matters!...
On Thursday, June 30 our teens got to visit Holiday World in Santa Claus, IN. This was part of their week-long bus trip the middle and high school YLIFe Program takes every summer. We take them out of the city to explore the possibilities of...
A recent study in Minneapolis, Minnesota showed that children growing up in poverty were greatly affected by extra nurturing. Providing physical safety, emotional encouragement, and academic assistance can help prepare children for a more resilient life. We know that it takes 8 significant, positive relationships...
