Step Up Ministry
Today I began a new chapter in my life. I began my new job as the Veterans Outreach Specialist with Step-Up Ministry. As the Veterans Outreach Specialist, I will be working closely alongside 5 staff members to address the over-population of homeless veterans in Wake County and Durham County. Our goal is to move Veterans from homelessness to work, and then from work, into their own apartment or home. I am truly blessed to be a part of this ministry, and I am thankful that God has given me this opportunity to serve His people.
On my first day I witnessed our Jobs Training Class. A bi-monthly class, we focus on providing participants not only with tips on finding jobs, help with writing a resume, help with networking, and various other wonderful resources, but, we clothed these men and women. All 24 of these participants was given a suit or a dress in order for them to interview on Friday of this week. Thanks to First Baptist, and other participating churches, Step-Up is better able to serve these men and women in need. For instance, First Baptist allows us to use their clothing closet to clothe the participants, they provide their fellowship hall for our class, and they partner with us in making the class run smoothly.
Essentially, I learned something essential today. As a man, not only does it feel good to work, but it feels vital to my identity. Not only that, work became something different. Work involves much more than the tangible goals we set, and the concrete tasks we accomplish. Work is at the heart of God. Work was the gas of which God decided to name the giraffe by such a whimsical word. Work is the hovering over the deep at the beginning of creation. Work is the place where Jesus went to die for our sins. It may seem that he did not do anything. He did not hold a meeting with his higher ups. He did not try to convince the leadership of the Sanhedrin to take him down. Jesus knew that His work was deeper and far more meaningful. Jesus worked, in order that we might work. Jesus re-established the true nature of work. Work is a reality that God established as part and parcel to His identity. Work is not something bad. Work is not something to dread. No. Work is alive and well. We get to partner with God as His co-laborers and co-creators.
And so as I thought about helping these Veterans get hold of their lives, and as I thought about these Veterans moving back into work, I had to smile. I smile because I am not going to be working for them. I am going to be working alongside them. I am doing my work. They are doing their work. I fill out a form to turn into the governement, while they fill out an application. We each have tasks. We each have our daily bread. At the end of the day, I am doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing.
On my first day I witnessed our Jobs Training Class. A bi-monthly class, we focus on providing participants not only with tips on finding jobs, help with writing a resume, help with networking, and various other wonderful resources, but, we clothed these men and women. All 24 of these participants was given a suit or a dress in order for them to interview on Friday of this week. Thanks to First Baptist, and other participating churches, Step-Up is better able to serve these men and women in need. For instance, First Baptist allows us to use their clothing closet to clothe the participants, they provide their fellowship hall for our class, and they partner with us in making the class run smoothly.
And so as I thought about helping these Veterans get hold of their lives, and as I thought about these Veterans moving back into work, I had to smile. I smile because I am not going to be working for them. I am going to be working alongside them. I am doing my work. They are doing their work. I fill out a form to turn into the governement, while they fill out an application. We each have tasks. We each have our daily bread. At the end of the day, I am doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing.
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