I hope and pray this summer finds you well! I cherish the long days, barbecues, yard games, hiking, and evening bike rides! While the sun and warmer weather do my body well, what satisfies my soul most are the meaningful relationships and memories formed during these short months. Deep within each of us is the desire to know and be known for God created us as relational beings. Going back to the Garden of Eden in Genesis 1-2, we see several factors at play. First, God Himself is a communal God as we try and wrap our minds around the wonders of the Trinity, three in one– Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Additionally, as a people made in His image, we have been designed as relational beings. Not only do we witness the rich relationship God had with both Adam and Eve, but we also read of the deep companionship Adam experienced with his beloved bride, “This one, at last, is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh” (Genesis 2:23, HCSB). As a result of the Fall, we all have experienced broken relationships with God, one another, creation, and even ourselves. Thankfully, as a relational God, He has been restoring humankind to His intended purpose since that tragic day. This is what the good news is all about – “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God” (1 Peter 3:18, NIV). At CLDI, our heart and passion are to join God in His work of restoration in the South Side neighborhood. In a place often marked by isolation, marginalization, fear, and loneliness, we are convinced that we have been built for community. Thus, toward this end, we labor in Christ-like love to restore families, rebuild families, and re-neighbor communities.
In Him,
Eric Basye
