“Underneath The Beautiful” is a story of God’s restorative grace and unconditional love.

It is no secret that the enemy comes to steal and destroy us (John 10:10). He plants seeds in our hearts that cause us to doubt and misjudge our past, our present, and our future. Unfortunately, many of us begin to believe the lie and forget that the battle has already been won for us by Jesus. At times, we may have felt helpless and hopeless. But we also prevailed!

This is Lucy Pevensie ‘s Story (Not her real name)

Lucy has bounced back from adversity and pressed on with divine perseverance. She has fought through her anguish and remained resilient amidst her trials. She has done all of this by remembering who she is and, most importantly, WHOSE she belongs to.

I’ve been going to AAB and I can’t stop noticing a friend, who has been serving a community of people living in one of SRO buildings in the Tenderloin District Of San Francisco. I look over at her smiling at her homemade cookies she served during our visit.

One of the resident said, “You smile at me to help me smile again.” Another one said, “You help me dream again.”

It’s one thing if you do a great work through a great place. It’s another if you do a great work through a place that most everyone would overlook. But God tends to work through broken people and broken things – that’s His nature.

Lucy, didn’t write anybody off. She went into darkness and took notice of everyone just as Jesus did. She didn’t put out anyone’s flickering flame of hope just like Jesus did (Matthew 12:20). She made us feel valued and accepted just like Jesus did. An extraordinary listener. She has created a space for everyone to blossom.

Where does your faith take you?

Her radical living, radical loving, radical hoping, isn’t as much about where you move but about letting Him move you where you are. He may move you somewhere across the world. Or he may move you to believe again, to dare again, to reach out again. He will move you to hope for what seem like impossible things, because His closeness and presence is your most cherished thing.

Lucy buried her head in his mane to hide from his face. But there must have been magic in his mane. She could feel lion-strength going into her. Quite suddenly she sat up. 
“I’m sorry, Aslan,” she said. “I’m ready now.”
“Now you are a lioness,” said Aslan. “And now all Narnia will be renewed. But come. We have no time to lose – C.S. Lewis

In Lucy’s willingness to be led by the Holy Spirit, others had experienced a love that calls to the depth of their soul. She has given people something to look forward to, Hope. And it’s more than just words for me. It’s a legacy, an inspiration for me and every future soul to see.

My eyes find the trail of her footprints leading to the door, and through bated breath I ask it, beg it, “Lord, if I could have just one thing, could I serve them You like Lucy is serving them?”

It’s hard to shut people out and love them at the same time. When we serve others, we serve God.

I’ve seen Lucy’s life and heart and it inspires me.

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.  1 Peter 4:10

Matt Chandler, said it perfectly. “… there is a beauty even in loving without response because that kind of love is truly selfless. When we love with no expectation or promise of reciprocity, we know what it means to sacrifice and deny ourselves in ways we wouldn’t otherwise.”

“Jesus went to places of darkness”, McKenna Mitchell

You asked why God would God something so impossible in people’s life? Because impossible is where God starts.