The other day my mother and I decided to take the kids to the downtown library. The flagship building is a fixture of our innercity and is surrounded by the typical sights and sounds that city life brings. A homeless man and his friend tried to make eye contact while we locked our car. Next, an addict walked by, her clothes leaving little to the imagination. And we almost instinctively clutched our purses as another group of teens came near.  When we made our way to the library door the pungent fragrance of pee filled our nostrils.  The library is a haven for the homeless and mentally ill who seek refuge from the heat of the day and the cool of the night.  My stomach turned as I took it in and my only thought was to find the closest exit to escape my surroundings.

I am pretty sure at least some of you are now judging me for disdaining my humble surroundings (and it’s ok I am judging me too! :-), but can we just be real for a minute?

Click here to read the full blog post over at Bible.org!