Thank You for Your Kindness

I cannot believe it has been 20 years! Show Hope was founded in my heart in 2000 when Shaoey came home through the miracle of adoption, but it would be 2003 when Shaohannah’s Hope would become official. And through the course of several years, Shaohannah’s Hope evolved into her name, Show Hope. When I have the time to really reflect back on this work, I can only say that I’m humbled. Show Hope exists today because so many people love the mission to care for orphans by engaging the Church and reducing barriers to adoption. By people, I mean staff members—present and past—who have loved this work, families who have stepped into the gloriously hard journey of adoption, and donors and friends who have fanned the flame, given in abundance and stood with us in this important work. For that, I will forever be grateful. “Thank you” falls short as we embark on this next 20-year journey. The kindness that each of you reading this has shown us is truly not lost on Steven and myself. 

Over the years, we have tried to hold onto and believe the verse from Proverbs 16:3, “Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established.” In the next 20 years of this amazing work, we will be trusting in this verse with just as much fervor and passion as always … holding it with open hands toward the Lord and asking him to show us the way. Thank you for being on the journey with us; for together we can Show Hope and show people who Jesus truly is.

P.S. A little surprise to us recently, our Show Hope team crafted a clever little letter, celebrating 20 years of Show Hope and Steven’s milestone 50 No. 1 songs! Steven and I were so touched that we wanted you to share it with you. Thank you, again; we love you all! 

Dear Show Hope Family, 

Twenty years ago, Mary Beth and Steven saddled up their horses for a great adventure to care for orphans by engaging the Church and reducing barriers to adoption. In founding Show Hope, they did it for the sake of the call found in James 1:27, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” They believe children are the fingerprints of God, and they deeply desire for each one to know what it is when love takes you in, just as they had seen in welcoming home Shaohannah Hope, Stevey Joy, and Maria Sue. 

As Show Hope’s mission gloriously unfolded, Mary Beth and Steven were left speechless by beauties unimaginable and pains unspeakable, all the while God continued to whisper, “I will be here,” reminding us to be still and know his strength is perfect. Even amidst the uncertainties of life, they have long desired to SEE heaven in the real world, and our Redeemer, who is faithful and true, has blessed them with women and men, families and communities who have said, “I will go there with you.” 

Thank you for choosing to live out loud with us as we more fully realize there is more to this life. Year after year, you dive into this work of caring well for children and families, and you don’t lose heart. Trust us when we say, Show Hope is not possible without you. 

As Mary Beth and Steven dream about the next 20 years of Show Hope, they know we can change the world with kindness. So let us pray and do everything for the glory of our Magnificent Obsession. Through Him, beauty will rise as he makes all things new, for he is faithful still. “Oh, taste and SEE that the LORD is good!” 

Thank you for your kindness,

Your Show Hope Team