We are about a week and a half into the spring run of Steven Curtis Chapman’s Songs & Stories Tour. While I’m thrilled to be back out on the road with such a great group of guys, as tour manager, the first few weeks of a tour can be a little hectic for me. And when things get hectic, it’s easy to forget the reason behind everything we do, but God is always faithful to gently remind me.

Last night, one of the volunteers at the Show Hope table picked up a sponsorship packet and smiled; she pointed to the image on the packet and said, “That’s my son!”  Rebecca Maas and her husband, Darren, have eight children. Six of their children were adopted from all over the world (five came home with the help of a Show Hope grant!), and now they are in the process of adopting again from China! I felt so fortunate to be able to meet this family with some of the happiest children I’ve ever met!

As our bus drove on to the next city, I laid in my bunk feeling so humbled and so grateful that it brought tears to my eyes. To see a family take up the call to bring these children home, and to see the impact that Show Hope sponsors have made in the lives of these children is an inspiration. Working for the organization that helped make this possible is a true honor. I am continuing to seek God today as I remember the sweet faces of these kids, and I am encouraged to an even greater degree by the work of Show Hope. Please continue to pray for Show Hope, for the Maas family and other families like theirs, and for your part of this amazing story!

Show Hope was so, so blessed to be a part of SoulFest this year (August 3-6 in New Hampshire) and we had an amazing time!!  Seeing New England step up to the call of James 1:27 was so encouraging to watch. “True Love is Everywhere” was the theme of the Christian music festival, and this theme is very evident in the world of adoption and orphan care. I urge you all to continue to seek God to see what your role is in caring for orphans. We are so excited to SEE what God is going to do in New England and around the world to care for orphans.

Our exhibit at SoulFest gave festival-goers a small glimpse of what it is like to live in an orphanage and be alone and waiting… that doesn’t have to be a reality for orphans around the world. We can make a difference, New England can make a difference! If you met us at SoulFest, please continue to stay in touch with us through the materials that were handed out and our Facebook page, and keep those “Change for Orphans” buckets coming in!!

With the sound of cicadas in the air you know that summer is here… and with the 13-year cycle of cicadas returning to Nashville this year, it has been somewhat of a rough welcome for such a beautiful time of year. Yet with the summer comes another season of a great pastime called baseball!!

Nashville is home to the Nashville Sounds, the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. As you walk into Greer Stadium, you are instantly greeted with the sounds and smells of the stadium that houses over 13,000 cheering fans. At a select few games this year, fans are also welcomed to enjoy Purity Faith and Family Nights. These special nights feature concerts from some of your favorite Christian artists such as Chris August, Jonny Diaz, Jaci Velasquez, and many more!

Show Hope is very blessed to have the opportunity to sponsor all six faith nights throughout the summer. We will have a booth set up selling merchandise and giving fans the opportunity to learn more about Show Hope and become Show Hope sponsors. While it may seem like a daunting task to help 140 million orphans, let me say this: first Nashville, then the WORLD!

We had a wonderful time at the first faith night, and we look forward to seeing you all this summer at the Nashville Sounds games!

Friday, May 27th – 6pm
Friday, June 3rd – 6pm
Sunday, June 26th – 5:30pm
Saturday, July 23rd – 5:30pm
Sunday, July 31st – 5:30pm
Saturday, August 13th – 5:30pm

When it comes to being the new guy in a school, job, sport, etc., there is a always a bit of anxiety. Questions may come up in your mind such as: “Will they like me? Will I do a good job? Is this the right spot for me to be in?” I nervously asked myself all of these questions on my first day here at Show Hope. Yet, it quickly came to the surface that this was God’s plan for me in this time, in this place, with these fellow co-workers who are now friends.

Already, I know Show Hope is more than a job…it’s a home where there is love, determination, and lots of fun. Those things are a very big part of what we do here at Show Hope. We help orphans come into families, where there is love, determination, and lots of fun!! There are more than 140,000,000 orphans around the world who are in need of a forever family; they are waiting for you. There are so many ways that you can get involved with Show Hope!

The area that I work in for Show Hope is our store and merchandise. I can’t wait to see how you show your support for orphans around the globe and let your friends know about Show Hope by wearing our name on your campuses, at your workplaces, and with your friends and family.!

Jesse Blinn
New Guy