Vanessa W.'s Bracelet

My bracelet reminds me that welcoming others is a cornerstone of my faith.

At my first Christian fellowship event in college, I felt pretty awkward and self-conscious. Everyone knew each other. They all knew the songs. I felt like I knew nothing at all.

But at the post-service meetup, people came up and introduced themselves, genuinely wanting to get to know me. That meeting became the root of my community of incredible friends.

They gave me the kind of compassion and warmth that Christ exhibited. Whenever I look at my wrist, I think of their openness and love. I recommit to spreading those same values when I sense someone feels left out or overlooked.