Shared Hope

on June 7th, 2009

We were robbed a few months ago – if you didn’t catch the story, you can here – and here’s “the rest of the story.”

This week we got the check from the insurance company – my first thoughts were, of course, to replace her wedding ring or replace the purity ring she gave me on our wedding day. In fact, just today we celebrated 13 years of marriage.

But my wife wanted to do something else, and when she told me I was blown away.  She wanted to give 10% to the church and all of the rest to an organization called Shared Hope International. They specialize in rescuing little girls from childhood prostitution. Here’s a copy of the note she wrote them this past week:

Dear Shared Hope,

I’ve been praying about how to give more to rescue the little girls. This $1,100 check is an answer to prayer. In April, we had a robbery and all of my jewelry was stolen. I knew immediately that if we received any insurance money, I would send it to you. For 3 weeks prior to the robbery, my thoughts and dreams were consumed by how to help these precious children. So in a way this robbery was a direct answer to my prayer. Ironically, one of the items stolen was my purity ring given to me by my dad 18 years ago. May God use its value to restore the purity of other little girls.

Thank you for all you do,
Angela

You are richer when you give – that’s the lesson I’m still learning this week.

JG

Comments (6)

Todd Perkins at 4:59am June 8

I hope you thank God everyday for your wife and the heart God has given her for others. Thanks for sharing.

Paul Loeffler at 6:20am June 9

I think most Christians would say that things are just things, even expensive and highly symbolic things like a wedding and purity ring. Compared to relationships and the things God holds dear, things just don’t compare. However, most of us (myself included, if I’m honest) struggle to put that truth into practice. I would be hard pressed to sell my wedding ring – with all it symbolizes to my wife and I – in order to give the money away, no matter how important the cause. Yet your wife has done just that (in a matter of speaking), not only showing amazing priorities, but also showing the greatest priority of obeying God, no matter the cost. Keep and honor that woman. She’s a real gem.