Small Steps to Overcoming

Loneliness – Rejection – Worthlessness – Loss of Identity
– Sadness – Hiding – Fear – Insecurity

These are some of the feelings our children often experience as a result of their difficult lives. However, these feelings are not unique only to orphaned children. Every human heart will experience these feelings at some point in our life, especially if we try to go through this life without finding our heart’s healing through Christ.

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
Psalm 147:3

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me.”
2 Corinthians 12:9

There is healing offered to each of us through Christ, and we want God to use our ministry to be a tool in healing our children’s hearts.

Recently while meeting with the BOL team, we discussed how our children have already experienced these feelings at such a young age. We were trying to think of ways to help encourage them. It’s no secret our children are growing up in a very untraditional way. Living with 60+ other children is in no way close to the traditional family setting. Raising children in such an environment requires out-of-the-box thinking and being intentional about teaching them to be who God has created them to be. We believe our children are all unique. God has gifted each one with special talents and gifts that our world needs. So, the team came up with the idea to have a talent show, to offer our children the opportunity to explore things they are good at and share with their BOL family.

We have some extremely timid children. Many of the children had never given much thought or consideration to what they are good at or what gifts they have. At first, I was unsure of how they would respond. I mean, I could tell you immediately the kids who would jump on board and be excited about the chance to get in front of others, but I was thinking about our quiet, always in the background, children. I have to say I was beyond pleasantly surprised, thrilled even, and incredibly proud. Our children surpassed all my expectations. We saw a group acting out a performance of the story of Joseph, an all-girls choir, soccer skills, hula-hoop skills, we heard poems recited from memory, and we even had children present some of their drawings and pottery they had made. It was a night I will not soon forget, and neither will our children. I know a talent show is such a small thing in the grand scheme of things, but it’s a big win if just one of our children learned something about themselves or felt valued and seen during the evening.

Although our children have experienced difficulties that no child should ever endure, God is using Bread of Life to heal their hearts and to raise the children into exactly who He created them to be, and my heart is so humbled to be a part of this ministry.

Raeghan Bryant