<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[H.U.G.S. from the Heart]]></title><description><![CDATA[HUGS from the Heart]]></description><link>https://www.hugsfromtheheart.org/blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Tue, 21 Jul 2026 14:40:25 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.hugsfromtheheart.org/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[Meet Joe - H.U.G.S.  origin story]]></title><description><![CDATA[In 2019, I was on a work trip that would change my mission forever. I met Joe on a freezing cold, rainy winter day. He was sitting outside a convenience store, tucked between an ice chest and a newspaper box, trying to find shelter from the icy rain. Just like that, a simple detour turned into a week of unexpected connection. Over that week, I learned about Joe’s journey. He had lost his wife unexpectedly the year before, and his grief had led him down a difficult path. He began drinking to...]]></description><link>https://www.hugsfromtheheart.org/post/meet-joe-h-u-g-s-origin-story</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a397943fa54cc84484b0762</guid><pubDate>Mon, 22 Jun 2026 18:09:43 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>42tbriggs</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Meet Johnny]]></title><description><![CDATA[I met Johnny on a morning when nothing was going according to plan. I was running late and needing a caffeine fix. I’d missed the McDonald’s entry, couldn’t switch lanes in time for Chick‑fil‑A, and even sailed past Wendy’s. I found myself talking to God out loud: “Okay, where am I supposed to get a drink now?” After 12 years of living in Greenville, I had never once pulled into a Hardee’s, but on that day, that’s exactly where I ended up. At the back of the parking lot sat a man. The moment...]]></description><link>https://www.hugsfromtheheart.org/post/meet-johnny</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a3974ed72415ea9e53af038</guid><pubDate>Mon, 22 Jun 2026 17:54:31 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>42tbriggs</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Meet Kenneth]]></title><description><![CDATA[I met Kenneth on a day when the weight of his circumstances was written all over him. He shared that he had lost his job, and without income, he couldn’t keep up with the taxes on his mother’s home — the place he had lived since she passed. Losing the house meant losing his stability, his history, and the last physical connection to her. When I handed him one of our drawstring backpacks, he opened it slowly, almost cautiously. The moment he pulled out the underwear, his entire face changed. A...]]></description><link>https://www.hugsfromtheheart.org/post/meet-kenneth</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a3973d2fa54cc84484af8b5</guid><pubDate>Mon, 22 Jun 2026 17:42:35 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>42tbriggs</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Meet Vernon]]></title><description><![CDATA[I met Vernon on a cold December evening, sitting alone under a tree in a parking lot. He wore a thin, worn‑out jacket over a T‑shirt, sweatpants with holes, and tennis shoes so damaged I could see his toes through the split sole. He wasn’t wearing socks. After introducing myself, I asked if there was anything I could pray for. He paused and said quietly, “That I make it through the night out here.” I handed him one of our drawstring backpacks and explained what was inside. As I spoke, he held...]]></description><link>https://www.hugsfromtheheart.org/post/meet-vernon</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a397078622b4c03f90a81bd</guid><pubDate>Mon, 22 Jun 2026 17:37:39 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>42tbriggs</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>