Is any of this even working?
If you work or serve in an area that focuses on leading people to lasting change, you probably have asked yourself a time or two, “Is this even working?”
How do we know we are doing “this thing” right and if it is even effective? How do we not lose hope when the outcomes we desire seem a lightyear away?
At CornerStone, our vision is to see people move from situations of crisis to places of stability and ultimately flourishing. We know this can be a long journey and one that is filled with countless barriers. Physical, financial, emotional, relational, and spiritual poverty that have been a part of a family system for generations do not typically have a “quick fix.”
The idea of “flourishing” can seem unattainable when we do not see indicators that someone is heading in the right direction. We can feel frustrated when we don’t see the success that we would hope to see in a student’s life before the end of the 12-week class. We feel betrayed when we invest in someone for weeks and weeks only to see them drop out of the class before graduation.
Admittedly, we don’t always know what to do and the question remains, “Is any of this even working?” At Cornerstone we remain steadfast as we remind ourselves of these two core values:
1. Christ must be central to everything we do. He is the only one that can transform lives. That is not our job!
2. Relationships matter! We have yet to see lasting change take place outside of healthy community and ongoing relationships between participants and volunteers.
We have learned are still learning to look at this work through “Kingdom Eyes” and we are inviting the Holy Spirit to help us redefine what success looks like according to Kingdom Values. This we know: Success that is designed by God is much more beautiful (and lasting) than anything we could manipulate or manufacture to fit our own agendas or deadlines.
His “success” endures.
Join us over the next few weeks as we post a series of “Success Stories.” We pray that God might focus our eyes to see the beautiful stories that He is writing in lives all around us.
Last Week’s Success
Last week, success looked like two people meeting for lunch!
That’s right – just two people enjoying lunch together. It may not sound like much, but it felt like such a holy moment that I did not want to cheapen it by making it a photo opportunity.
I was enjoying a lunch at Taco Mama when a friend Amy came in alone. We talked as we stood in line to order. I finally asked her if she was meeting someone for lunch and she said, “Yes, Angela.”
And just like that - I was reminded of the faithfulness of God.
You see, Amy had the privilege of getting to know a student named Angela back in the spring of 2021 through a Jobs for Life class. Angela was a participant in the class and working hard to make significant changes in her life. During the class, her “champions” (mentors) discovered that she was carrying a stifling load of medical debt.
Upon hearing more about her story, it seemed to us that something was just not right. Some of Angela’s medical debt appeared to be eligible for forgiveness but her efforts to eliminate it had not been successful. Our team decided, along with Angela, that it might be a good idea to have an attorney look at her situation and assess if there was anything Angela could pursue that she had not already done.
We introduced her to our friend and attorney, Amy. Amy invested some time in getting to know Angela and decided to take on her case pro bono. Within just a couple weeks and with a few letters written to prove Angela’s attempts at debt reduction, Amy was successful in having Angela’s medical debt reduced from $30,000 to $3,000!
Some might say that was the success. Yes, it was a victory and Angela was able to breathe knowing that this debt amount was manageable. But the deeper, transformative success was this:
Angela felt heard. She had fought as hard as she could but felt that no one believed her when she shared the injustices she had faced in this case. But her champions heard her and believed her. Amy believed her to the point of standing up for her against an entire hospital system.
Angela experienced renewed hope. Living on wages common to a certified nursing assistant ($9 -$11 per hour with no benefits), a debt of $30,000 could have involved wage garnishment. For Angela this could have spiraled into housing insecurity. But a 3,000 debt with a payment plan that fit her budget was something Angela could manage! Angela experienced something good and something for her good. God ignited hope in Angela’s heart as she was reminded that God was good and that He was FOR HER.
Angela was not someone’s project. She is someone’s neighbor. When Cornerstone classes end, there is not always a sigh of relief. Instead, many experience sadness at the loss of healthy, encouraging community. Some might evaluate the number of graduates and new hires as successes. Those are great. But what about the number of students and champions that remain in contact beyond class? These are the undervalued and often unseen victories we count as real success – and those are the areas of success that we like to measure.
So, one year beyond the last class I encounter Angela and Amy having lunch at Taco Mama. My heart leaps and I offer a smile towards heaven. I call my husband and say, “Do you want me to make your day? Guess who I just saw having lunch together.”
IS ANY OF THIS EVEN WORKING?
The answer is yes! God is working. He is transforming relationships, lives, and communities. And sometimes He invites us to join Him in this beautiful work. But make no mistake, it is HIS work.
In His time. In His way.
It is working.
In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. – Philippians 1:4-6
