grateful to serve

Overall it was one of my better years.  I seemed to have settled a little bit more into who I am – still pretty silly but now in a little bit more sophisticated way.  Maybe a little more serious because of my work these days.  In the jail and shelter work that I do, I hear some stories that go beyond heartbreaking.  I see the resilience of women who have been through horrific ordeals in both childhood and as adults.  Helping them with skills to regain their health and to gain the confidence needed to make productive choices for themselves is high on my list for what makes a good work week.  What I see pull them through their challenges is their strong connection to their Faith and for some who are still seeking, the strong desire for their path of personal investigation that will find the focus of their spiritual life.  Harder than the stories are those who have lost -hopefully only temporarily - the desire to make life different.  Those that are too thin, too heavy, too beaten down, getting too little support.   And this is in one of the healthiest counties in the country!   I find myself becoming increasing grateful for the Grace that I’ve been given and I’m asking for more energy for this service that I am drawn to.