Last night at the Ship Outreach Stand in the Gap Gala, I had the honor of representing my precious Jimmy Carroll and The Jimmy Carroll Foundation.
To have Jenn Hamilton at the helm is a blessing for which I never cease to be grateful. What the foundation has become—and who we have been able to serve—is a direct reflection of the passion, excellence, and heart she brings to the table each and every day. And Jarret Hamilton, not only my pastor, but Jenn’s steadfast champion, has been equally invaluable. His unwavering support and his willingness to share Jenn with us has made all the difference. I love you both so much, and Jimmy would be so grateful for how you have loved and cared for Austin and his girl.
It was a special, emotional, full-circle night for me. To hear my sweet Jimmy acknowledged—not just by Raleigh’s Mayor Cowell, but by many in the room—was a tender and powerful reminder that love outlives loss. It was yet another striking example of real-life beauty for ashes made possible by God’s faithfulness to redeem the things that break our hearts.
The love and support Pastor Chris Jones has consistently and faithfully shown to Austin and me since Jimmy’s passing is yet another example of the heart with which he leads. He, Anissa Rachelle, and countless Ship Outreach volunteers are daily in the trenches—literally standing in the gap for the vulnerable and overlooked among us. The difference they have made in our city is incalculable and far-reaching.
What a night. What a legacy.
That Ship Outreach would partner with The Jimmy Carroll Foundation is a gift beyond words. Together, we are living proof that even the most devastating losses can give rise to extraordinary good. Jimmy’s absence will always be felt, but so, too, will his impact—in every meal served, in every person sheltered, in every life restored.
For Ship Outreach, for The Jimmy Carroll Foundation, for those we have served and will serve, surely the best is yet to come.
“Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, you have done it unto Me.”
~ Matthew 25:40