John Hafer - June 2025

When Esau approached his brother with 400 men, Jacob feared for his life. He was sure that after stealing his brother’s birthright and blessing, Esau’s anger would result in his demise. Before meeting, Jacob lined up a series of gifts in hopes to appease his brother, but none of it was needed. Esau, instead, ran to and embraced his brother. Jacob didn’t have to do anything at all to be accepted by his brother that day and he exclaimed, “I have seen your face, and it is like seeing God’s face, since you have accepted me.” (Genesis 33:10)

To some extent, we all want to be accepted and to whatever extent that is, we tend to work for it—to achieve it—like Jacob did. This certainly was the story of Jason, recent graduate from our Forge program. Raised in a legalistic environment short of grace, he was plagued throughout his adult life with feelings of falling short. It resulted in seasons of co-dependency, drug use, anger, and finally, thoughts of suicide. At his end, he applied to our program. 

“I don’t wish my bad times on anyone, but I do wish everyone could have my same experience in The Forge—to put everything else on pause until you settle what matters most. When it finally clicks that God truly is a Father to you, and Jesus gave Himself for you, and the Holy Spirit is actually there in you, you stop trying to live for God and let Him live in you. Let that sink in—God living His life in us. That’s what the Forge is all about: getting renewed, not by following rules, but by Christ alive in us.”

Jason came around to the truth: we don’t earn our acceptance. Jesus welcomes every person into a relationship with Himself, and the good we do is not required beforehand but what flows out of us naturally when we realize the amazing grace of God and invite Christ to be “alive in us.” Thank you for your support. Your partnership was part of the acceptance Jason felt when he stepped through our doors. For him, it was like “seeing the face of God.”