My friend, Gary, and I had lunch with "Cathy" this week. We were blessed.

Cathy's mom lost custody of little 4 year old Cathy because her drug habit had spiralled out of control. Cathy's dad is nowhere to be found. Cathy has been in and out of more than 20 foster care homes and several adoptive family situations over the past 11 years. Her life has lacked stabiiity and unconditional love, and the 15 year old Cathy we shared lunch with has often found herself repeating her mother's cycle of drug abuse and treating the adults around her with anger and disrespect.

Eight months ago, Cathy came to live at the Murphy Harpst Center, which treats kids who have been sexually abused, traumatized, and rejected. This is likely the longest she has ever lived in the same place. Cathy has been clean now for 8 months, and her favorite part of Murphy Harpst is the library. She loves to read, and now for the first time is making good grades. Working with the horses in equine therapy there has taught her how to give and receive love, perhaps for the first time in her life. So much so that Cathy hopes one day to operate her own home for abused and abandoned animals.

While Gary and I listened to her talk about her challenges and her therapy, the words that struck me most came when Cathy said, "The turning point came when I learned to start looking toward the future rather than re-living everything in my past." My blue eyes filled with tears of grace as her gentle, brown eyes looked at Gary and me as she spoke those words that apply not only to her, but also to you and me.