Have you ever watched the flame of a candle burn? I remember as kid studying a flame and being surprised by the strength of its warm orange glow. For a surprising amount of time I could watch it dance. Leaning in close to study the blue hue at the base of the flame; realizing it was alive, focused, contained. Also realizing how fragile the flame was at such a close proximity; one stray exhale and it could be inadvertently snuffed out.
The imagery of the flame struck me today as I watched Hollywood Anderson’s, American Idol audition in the clip below. As soon as he sang the first word I was captivated. His voice drew me in – it’s strong and incredibly warm. His voice and choice of phrasing brought to light the power of his story. The lyrics are deeply personal to him, transformative even.
After his performance we learn a bit more about, Hollywood’s story. We learn he was recently homeless and through the support and care of Covenant House in New York City he has found stability. He shares that the director, Norm Lotz, gave him a guitar which he has learned to play in the last year. You can glean the investment of a guitar is only a hint of the tremendous care and support Hollywood has received through Mr. Lotz and the team at Covenant House.
It’s beautiful to see how bright a life shines when it is nurtured by people who believe in you, thereby allowing you to grasp your tremendous value and worth. We don’t know many more details of Hollywood’s story and to be honest, it doesn’t really matter. What does, is the power of a changed life, a life that is shining bright because of a safe environment that provided care, support and the space needed for growth.
MinistryLINQ is passionate about serving ministries, churches, and nonprofits as they do the important work of impacting lives for the Kingdom. The work that Covenant House is doing mirrors the passion and intensity of the work our customers do everyday. We are honored to partner with you.