Recently, I piled into a car with a few friends to travel a few miles down the city strip to give sandwiches and cool water to the homeless congregated downtown under the shade trees. The streets were quiet. There wasn’t a soul stirring.

Finding a spot to park, we unloaded a cooler full of water and set up a little folding table to put the bagged lunches on.  A few men walked by and we’d wave them over “Are you hungry?” An “Oh, yes,” seemed to be the usual response. We visited, prayed, and asked if they needed anything. There was a sweet aroma of love in the air.

I found myself feeling at home on this side of the street.

The heart stories amazed me continually. As I handed out lunch, I found myself in conversation with a dear woman, and as our conversation ended, she turned to leave. I was captivated by her heart and quickly called after her, “Ma’am – can I pray with you?”
With the most precious toothless grin, her blue eyes looked into mine and she said,

“Yes, but I want to pray. Is it alright, because I only know one prayer?”

I nodded. We bowed our heads and she began “Our Father  . . . “
Tears flowed freely down my cheeks as my heart connected with hers. It was as if the graffiti of our souls was becoming blurred and smudged. All of a sudden, the bold outlines of the art of our lives didn’t matter. Even the street where we stood was common ground.
. . . “who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are Yours now and for ever. Amen.”

Maybe there is something to standing in the middle of the street.

It’s them that you realize that there’s more common ground there than on the sides of the street. This is the beautiful graffiti of the heart, of which life is made, if we can only open our eyes and see.  To see not the bold outlines and colors that make us different, but to see the heart graffiti that makes us the same.
I’m so appreciate to my homeless friend, who lives down the street and under a mesquite tree, for his beautiful scribbles of graffiti! He taught me to be brave and step across the street, to see that although our streets are different our hearts are the same, and he taught me to be bold and write God’s graffiti out for all to see.
Writing Graffiti along side a homeless man had it’s challenges. But I tell you, I wouldn’t trade that journey for anything. I learned to step over fear and love a messy world.
As Graffiti released I got many comments and questions asking for “how to’s” and steps others could take to experience heart graffiti. So, beginning June 3rd we will begin Graffiti Summer: study and do.
You can find out more information here and you can hear more about and order Graffiti the Book here.
Will you step over fear and join us for Graffiti Summer?