Love is everything.

Today in open court, a woman I know explained to the judge and to the other drug court participants how much she believes she has benefited from her weekly meetings with a drug court mentor.

Here's just a small snippet of what she shared:

"My mentor is more than a mentor. She is my friend. She isn't afraid to speak the truth, and she isn't afraid to care. There are a lot of people who wouldn't risk caring about a woman like me; but my mentor did and I love her for it."

Most of the people who enter our drug court program are desperate and unlovely people. They are addicted...usually to meth, but not always. Most have lost their families, their freedom, their physical health and their good looks.

In short, we see the kind of people whom the general public would perceive as scary looking people with a crap load of even scarier behaviors.

The woman who spoke today in court was no exception. She wasn't any more loveable, or any less unlovely than the rest.

And yet, speaking today, she clearly articulated what had made such a crucial difference in her recovery and in her life.

People had dared to care!

The judge, the drug court team, the other drug court participants, and yes, this woman's life mentor, had all dared to believe that there was an amazing, incredible woman hidden beneath all of the meth sores and addicted behaviors.

They had all dared to care and in so doing, they had made a difference in the life of this young woman...and not just any ole difference mind you, but a life or death difference.

So you see, caring isn't just a significant piece of our helping one another along the path to wholeness. It is everything!

I spend a lot of time writing about this kind of experience here in my blog. I feel as if I am always pushing the importance of caring, of loving the unloveable and of reaching out to those who dwell along the fringes of our society.

I recognize that for some of you this topic is trite. I suppose for others, it reeks of christian sentimentality.

All I can say in answer to that, is this.

Everything I write here, is born out of my lived experience.

Whether you understand this or not, Christ has gathered me up. Me, a fringe dweller, a reeking alcoholic, an adulteress, a liar, a foul excuse for womanhood....Me. Christ has pulled Me smack dab into the center of the living, holy God.

Everyday, I claim that sacred place at the center of God's presence.

Everyday, I seek to live out of God's sacred center and I dare to love.

I dare even when conventional wisdom says that I should not; and I don't do this because I am "special" or "extraordinary". I do this because once one's soul has been touched by God, (as I believe mine has), it is impossible to shrink, or to shirk, or to stop caring.

And every now and then, I am privileged as I was today, to hear another person share how love has made all the difference in their life, not just any ole difference either, but a life or death kind of difference.

...and then in a quiet and certain kind of way, I remember once again, that love truly is everything.