Read: Romans 12:3-8

. . . so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. (v. 5 NIV)

“What if . . .” For my neighborhood, these words were the beginning of a brand-new way of life. “What if,” some parents asked, “our children who experience varying forms of disability could live in a community that supports and loves them? What if showing the love of Jesus to one another and to the world looks like a place to belong?” Today, that “what if” is an entire city block—16 houses filled with people of varying abilities, each one a beloved member of the whole, and each one giving and receiving the gift of friendship.

I am not disabled, but I have lived in this community for three years. The time that I’ve spent here has taught me so much about what it means to belong—to one another, and to Christ. My friends with disabilities here have been Jesus to me and have expanded my imagination of what it means to be human. Living in a community of belonging has healed me and allowed me to offer the gift of myself and see the gift of others more clearly. Ultimately, this experience of community has shaped my understanding of the kingdom of heaven.

Please note that I am not offering my friends in this community as “object lessons,” nor am I attempting to speak from their perspective. Rather, with their permission and blessing, I simply hope to share my experience of healing and growth. —Amy Curran

Prayer: Jesus, open our eyes, hands, and hearts. Teach us to receive you in others, and to receive your love from others.

https://woh.org/