Good morning…
Last Tuesday, I excitedly gathered the treasures pictured above. I collected these items in my little corner of our community, I packed them in my car and I drove to PAWkids, a non-profit ministry in the Grove Park neighborhood of downtown Atlanta. (PAWkids partners with Julie’s Dream, a non-profit begun in honor of our dear friend Julie Harlan, a ministry born out of our Northside Church drawing city kids into a deeper relationship with the living Christ through adventures in the great outdoors.)
What treasures had I been gathering to freely give away?
- A large wall hanging from Goodwill with hand painted house rules – believe in second chances, pray, never give up, try to do better, say I’m sorry, show respect, think of others first, trust in God, tell the truth, say I love you, we are family. These “rules to live by” seem to align perfectly with the PAWkids vision for some of the most vulnerable families in our community.
- The “serenity sneakers” I had bought with my parents’ birthday money in the sales closet at The Front Porch of Vinings. This symbol for me speaks of my intention to walk in the ways of peace, barefoot with God, each time I step into the holy common ground of our community.
- A linked together pile of cardboard petals, etched in pencil on each petal was a fertile seed I had gleaned from the life story shared with me by LaTonya Gates, the founder and director of PAWkids.
- Cheerful purses and wallets donated by Corinne Adams to share in Mother’s Day gift bags for the wonderful women in this poverty-stricken area of Atlanta.
- A colorful strip of loving messages children are created to experience from ages 0-6 months, 6-18 months, 18 months to three years, and so on into adulthood. Might this simple resource – a resource I have cherished since my graduate studies in human development in the late 1980’s – be helpful to the mothers parenting their kids in Grove Park?
- A light skinned prayer chair symbolizing my constant prayers for God’s restoration of our souls, souls embodied in every beautiful skin tone.
It was the first day of my commitment to share my Tuesday mornings with the staff, the women, and the families served by PAWkids, so I came bearing God’s graciously gathered gifts. Yet the joyful gifts I received that morning were many more than I gave.
- A local therapist led a great discussion with the staff of men and women, white-skinned and black, younger and older. Together we learned about the “emotion wheel” and how sensations in our body help to teach us about the various emotions we are feeling. This honest awareness leads us down into the roots of our six core emotional states – happy, sad, disgust, anger, fear and surprise.
- We learned about the importance of breathing. How the gift of breath is free, available to everyone, day and night. We all breathe unconsciously but we can change our experience of the moment when we learn to breathe consciously. Conscious breathing takes just three easy steps: Breathing exclusively through the nose (inhaling oxygen, exhaling carbon dioxide). Breathe slowly. And exhale longer than you inhale.
- We work to shift our impact in the world through our bodies. Moving ourselves into a more peaceful place within ourselves, we can change how we feel. How we feel directly impacts how we act. How we act influences the experience of others.
- God made our bodies with a survival instinct. Under stress we either flight, fight or freeze. God has also designed us to breathe consciously, to build the skill of being a non-anxious presence in the midst of anxious situations. This is the healing power of the Holy Spirit within us.
I thought to myself, “This is a gift I can carry into every corner of our community. With the help of the Holy Spirit, I can learn to become a non-anxious presence wherever God leads me.”
After we finished our round table discussion, I moved the prayer chair and wall hanging up and into the third floor attic by LaTonya’s invitation. These items will remain as symbols of our creative collaboration with women from Buckhead and Bankhead. Our God-given gifts blend beautifully with the faith-filled gifts already existing in this sacred space.
I cannot wait to drive out of our driveway this morning, to travel twelve minutes down the road to the PAWkids campus. As I enter into this prayerful place of creative connectivity, I will treasure each Tuesday morning. Humbly grateful, may we continue to marvel at God’s work of reconciliation taking tangible form among us.
But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself [received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself] and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation [that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him] (2 Corinthians 5:18, AMPC).
…Sue…
P.S. As I learn what deep needs can be met in our shared community, spiritually, physically, and emotionally, I will let you know. If you ever have an interest in partnering me as we enter into God’s process of reconciliation for all, please reach out to me personally and I will add you to the growing list of people who are also passionate about being a part of this hard, holy, healing work.
