Do We Really Believe That God Changes People? A Volunteer's Thoughts on Grace:

(What follows are some thoughts that arise out of a relationship formed through the Advance Memphis family.)

“My friend was converted.” I could almost feel the skepticism from my audience as I described the new life my friend was experiencing. You see, my friend is black, poor, has spent time in jail, and a gang, and knows the demon of addiction firsthand. My audience is white, has lived a life of privilege and is conservative politically and religiously. The later two, being weaved so tight into their belief system, are indistinguishable.

There really is skepticism, in the church, toward the possibility of change. God bless us. We have spent too much time sitting through heady sermons meant more to squeeze out a compliment, better yet a raise, than real deep heart change. A resulting culture has been formed, bent more on seeming righteous than being righteous. This culture is much more passionate about discussing radical change than walking by faith toward it. James, Jesus’ brother, made it abundantly clear that the kind of religion God wants is centered on justice, mercy and compassion. True religion, so James tells us, looks after widows and orphans in their distress. Distressed about the weak, needy and cold, that is true religion that arises from a person that has been truly changed. Somehow we have moved off center. If the motto of North Carolina is “to be rather than to seem,” the church’s motto is more in line with, “to seem is to be.” The Word is failing to result in deed.

This friend called me last week and told me his heat was out all night. Temperatures that night dropped to 22. The walls of a housing project know more rodents than insulation. The windows are lucky to be pained at all, much less be double pained. Yet my friend called, not to complain, but to tell me what God told him. First, God impressed the little boy a few doors down upon his heart. The last time he saw the boy he had no socks. “I wanted to find him to make sure he was alright,” he told me. Second, he told me that God directed him to think about the homeless. “Richard, something I never told you is that I too was homeless for a time and this morning God told me to open a homeless shelter. I don’t want to charge for the shelter, not even $6, because God didn’t charge me anything for His grace and love, He just throws it on everybody.”

I came away skeptical too, not of my friend’s conversion, but my own. Has grace sunk that deep into my pores? Does my heart move toward others in the midst of personal distress? My friend is now my teacher. God’s work in him is getting all over me.

God taking on infant form? The Almighty wrapped in cloths and lying in a feed trough? That stuff, like the possibility of radical change, is hard to believe. Yet, from creation to incarnation to salvation, Christianity is about the real possibility of impossibilities. It may be more than that, but it is not less.

Richard Rieves

richard.rieves@gmail.com

Advance Memphis Return on Investment

Please take a minute to read our full 2009 ROI Report. It contains many more details about our 2009 outcomes, as well as a full explanation of how we calculated these numbers.

2009 Jobs for Life Return on Investment
(Benefits realized in 2009/costs realized in 2009):
2.65/1 or 265%
This means that every $1 invested in the Advance Memphis Jobs for Life class yielded a return to society of $2.65 in the 2009 calendar year (as of December 7, 2009).

KTG Exec Shares His Impressions of Advance Staffing Employees

This week, the Advance Memphis Staffing Service employees made a great impression on the Strategic Development Manager for KTG, George Mapson. He took the time to tell us his thoughts concerning on our Staffing employees:

"On Tuesday morning I had a chance encounter with Craigen Harris [pictured above], one of your employees working at KTG USA, our tissue manufacturing plant in north Memphis. First, I don't believe it was a chance encounter. It was meant to happen. Craigen came into my office just after 7:00 am to advise me that his facial tissue team from Advance Memphis was going home as the machine was down and there was, unfortunately, no work for them today. I had never met him before. He explained what he was doing and what this opportunity to work meant to him and the rest of his team members and their families. I was both captivated and motivated by what Craigen had to say. What a breath of fresh air! Craigen then introduced me to other members of the Advance Memphis team. More breaths of fresh air! It was indeed unfortunate, especially at this time of year that the team was unable to work that day. Every day employed is a huge advancement forward in their lives. Our company also lost that day. We lost the opportunity of having respectful, highly motivated, hard working community members working in our plant to keep our customers happy....And not just "working." But working with a lot of desire and heart and very much aligned with what we are trying to do in our plant..."making everyday better." I wish I could have spent more time with Craigen and the Advance team. It would have been a precious learning experience. We look forward to strengthening our relationship with Advance Memphis."
George Mapson, Strategic Development Manager

CHOICES: Cindy's Story

Recent grad Cynthia Goad has been through many changes in her life in the last year. The following video was made at graduation, as Cynthia told how Advance Memphis helped to restore her hope.



Cynthia shared a bit more of her life story here:
My mother died at a very young age and I was basically the outcast of my family when my father remarried. I always felt as if I never “fit in” anywhere, always trying to please others. When I felt as if I could never do right, I ended up being a very resentful, sad and rebellious child. I ended up getting addicted to drugs, doing criminal activities and just not caring if I lived or died. I had no hope and had given up on myself, my family and even God. After attempting suicide a couple of times (and failing at that), I just felt as if I couldn’t go on anymore. I fell to my knees and asked God for forgiveness and guidance.

I ended up at a Drug and Alcohol Treatment center in Jackson, Ms. While there, I searched some programs that I would be able to attend and came back home to Memphis. I was led to Advance Memphis. I am a graduate of the Jobs for Life class and I have never felt better about myself. I have learned so much about God and the Bible. I have also learned about budgeting, perfecting my resume and how to properly speak and act during a job interview. To me, the best part of Advance Memphis is all the encouragement and inspiration that I receive. When there are days that I get discouraged about not yet being employed, all I have to do is walk into the building and see all the smiles and care that is genuinely from the heart. When I reach an obstacle, there are sincere people who are ready and available to provide suggestions and recommendations.
Today, I have hope and a plan for my future.

She also wrote the following poem. She wanted to share it with her graduation class, and was kind enough to allow us to share it on the blog.

Choices
Some people sit, some people try.
Some people laugh, some people cry.
Some people will, some people won't.
Some people do, some people don't.
Some people believe and develop a plan.
Some people doubt - never think that they can.
Some people face hurdles and give it their best.
Some people back down when faced with a test.
Some people complain about their miserable lot.
Some people are thankful for all that they've got.
And when it's all over - when it comes to a head,
Some people lost out and some people win.
We all have a choice, we all have a say.
We are spectators in life - or we get in and play.
Whichever we choose, how we handle life's game,
The choices are ours,
No one else is to blame.

Tribulation and sufferings bring about perseverance, and perseverance brings about character, which brings about hope. Romans 5:3

Blessed by Remembering

As another graduation rounds the corner, I am amazed at how fast time flies. Next week is Thanksgiving, and I will be leaving to visit my family and friends in Texas. All in all, I am wondering what it is I have learned, moving into the inner city and working to serve one of the poorest neighborhoods in Tennessee.

First, is that our God is faithful. He has provided opportunities for ministry, yet at the same time, I am realizing I’m not the one who needs to fix. I’m the one who needs to be fixed. My friends at Advance Memphis have taught me that life looks completely different on the side of poverty. Our values clash in several ways. Things I grew up learning are not the things that others learned.

How can you grow up in the same world, but lead such different lives? How is it that we are raised in a culture that forgets the poor and lead lives that bring success for us only? I have had an amazing time getting to know the residents of this neighborhood. They have become my friends.

A lot of our students are at Advance Memphis because they desire something more of this life. As I have led small group, I have learned some of the mistakes they have made in the past that prevents them from finding employment. Several of our students have felonies on their records, which puts a major obstacle in the way of finding employment. One of the most amazing things happened when I was talking with a woman in my small group. I remember talking with her and thinking to myself I don’t know what to tell her. What do you say to a student who has a felony? A felony is a permanent roadblock to success.

Then it hit me, or I should say God revealed to me what a blessing that can be. How many of us are constantly reminded of our sin? Here, she has a tangible reminder of her sin but also a constant reminder of the grace shown by our King. I wish I could be reminded of my own sin each day and be humbled by the love of God.

James 1:24 “For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.”

I pray that these graduates would be blessed by remembering their past and persevere, being doers of His word.

julie@advancememphis.org

A Unique Scene

At 8:40 this morning, strong smell wafted into my office this morning indicating that someone was using a large amount of cleaner somewhere in the building. I wandered into the classroom to see quite an event. All of the chairs had been placed on the tables, carpet cleaner was sprinkled on the stains, and two of our current class participants were vacuuming.

As I walked into the kitchen, I discovered more acts of service! A third class member was doing dishes and two graduates were preparing lunch for the class.

I have no big thought for the day. The service and selflessness of the community residents here often impress and delights me. This was simply one of those instances.

brandon@advancememphis.org