In2theRiver

Good afternoon from Westminster, MD!

As I started to write Hope Realized, my book that is scheduled to be released around June of 2022, I began to better understand the role hope has played in my life. This discovery helped me better see and understand the role hope plays in working with impoverished communities. It was not that it changed the way I believed poverty should be address–functionally, I had been operating under this assumption for a long time. However, doing a “deep dive” on my own story reinforced my belief that we are all filled with God-given potential and created to thrive. The difference most often comes down to our access to real opportunity and the way our environment shaped our identity.

Understanding my story only increased the amount of hope I have for people trapped in poverty. If I can thrive, why can’t they?

This is why understanding your own story is a great place to start when it comes to making a difference of the lives of others. Seeing the ups and downs of your own story, and realizing how different it could have been if certain elements were present or absent, gives you a better appreciation for the stories of the people you are helping. Instead of seeing them as a project, you see them as a person. They begin to look a little more like you. Your stories may be different, but your value and potential are the same.

Do you want to make a difference in the life of another? Understanding your own story might just be the best place to start.

James Belt