A lot of people ask me what I think will save the city. (And by "the city" I always mean Detroit).
Relentless Love
Nothing else.
The kind of love that those really great parents you hear about have for their kids.
The kind of parents that go without, they sacrifice, they give, they never give in to that "I'll never be good enough" mentality. The kind of parents who lean on God and say to themselves when they are tired and the laundry has to be done "suck it up buttercup"
The kind of love that when they're tired of whatever is going on they say "I Loveyou everyday no matter what". The kind of love that gets its strength from God. The kind of love that looks at a picture drawn by a 5 year old and sees a masterpiece. The kind of love that says "knock it off with your poor choices, you're better than that".
The city needs the kind of love that is compassionate and gritty. It's needs long hug kind of love. The kind you know it when you feel it. A genuine kind of love that loves the sparkle but knows it has a beautiful heart in the hardest times.
It needs the kind of love that earns it. The kind of love that doesn't wait for someone else to do it. The kind of love that strives to be better. The kind of love that invests, not just gives. Even when money is involved, it's given with love, no expectation of return on investment, and if there is its the kind that's paid forward not back. There is no entitlement in that kind of love from anyone.
I think of my own dad, I can tell you a million times he could have given up, and maybe a lesser man would not have stepped up to the single dad challenge of his only living daughter. The man endured more heartbreak than anyone should have to. But that's the hand he was dealt. And then add that I was a heartbroken girl who didn't know what to do with all that hurt and was quite a handful. And then came home with a "surprise" and my dad said "I'll support any choice you make" and that gave me enough strength to make the right choice. And life has not always been easy, but love often isn't. My dad taught me by example what it's like to love, to work hard, to sometimes endure to ride out the big wave coming right at you. My dad loves with a relentless love. And he passed that on to me.
As a parent we don't always know what to do, but I know this, we do what we can. So what do I think will change the city?
Relentless Love.
The city needs the love of a Father, the kind of Father that would sacrifice it all.
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