03/02/2026
When I was surprised with this award, the first person I thought of was Evit Allen, the mentor who poured into me long before there was ever a stage or spotlight. His steady presence. His consistency. His belief in me.
What he planted years ago created a ripple effect that is still unfolding today.
But this recognition is not ultimately about one individual. It is about the power of love to yield a harvest that stretches beyond our lifetime.
Because both love and evil produce a harvest. One yields bitterness and destruction. The other produces peace, healing, and restoration.
In John 13, Jesus kneels and washes His disciples’ feet, radical love expressed through humble service.
And He tells them,
“You do not realize what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
That is the power of mentorship.
The power of humble, consistent service.
The young people we serve may not fully see the sacrifice behind what happens each week.
They don’t see the long days.
The emotional energy.
The generosity of donors who choose to invest in their growth and future.
They may not understand it now.
But one day, they will.
As a community, we get to choose what we plant. We can sow seeds that interrupt destructive cycles, restore hope, and cultivate leaders who give back what was once given to them.
This recognition reflects a collective harvest.
As John Wesley once said,
“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can.”
That is how we keep planting.
That is how the harvest continues.
So let’s keep serving.
Let’s keep sowing.
Let’s keep doing all the good we can.
