Saturday, February 19, 2011

Good evening and welcome to Saturday, February 19, 2011.   My name is Chaplain Jennifer Martin and this is my first posting for my new blog that will focus on spiritual integration and hope.  My prayer is that I will be able to give some helpful insight into how we as Christians can integrate our spirituality into our daily lives and live the joyful life that God intends for us despite our situations.

I have been certified by the National Association of Catholic Chaplains to work in ways that would allow me to walk alongside my brothers and sisters who are in some way suffering.  My professional experience has led me to juveniles in placement, Hispanic mothers, our community’s poor, the homeless, and, most recently, college students.

Twelve years ago I found myself drawn to working with the Fargo/Moorhead poor and homeless.  It was an amazing experience that allowed me to work one-on-one with approximately 5,000 men, women, and children.  During this time I learned to maneuver through the area’s social service system and even was fortunate enough to work with some very wonderful and compassionate staff from other agencies in creating new programs.  As many would attest to, God uses situations like this to implant a small voice within that says “look deeper”.  I had been seeing the revolving door of homelessness first hand and had been praying for insight as to how I could better serve my clients.  Then came the voice that prompted me to begin looking at these beautiful individuals as whole persons and not as various goals to be met.  I began asking questions about spiritual resources and healing.  Many would take their precious icons out of their backpacks and show them to me.  One gentleman told me that he kept his Bible right next to his bedroll in his camp down by the river.  It was the people who startled me with their never ending desire to talk about God and His love for them and they drew me in through the door of lay ministry that had been opened for me.  Some would ask that we pray together and we did.  They would ask me to keep them in my prayers and I would ask them to pray for me.  One day I referred to one of the men as my brother in Christ and tears fell from his eyes.  I knew that I had just given him the re-membrance of community that he had been longing for.  Then I cried.

Two and a half years ago my position was eliminated as many have been since then.  I found myself in good company among the 2.5 million Americans unemployed who are trying to re-define their lives as worthy individuals who either earn no pay or are given their weekly allowance by the state they last worked in.  Suddenly I was experiencing the uncertainty and the financial instability that so many of my clients had spoken of.  I knew that I wouldn’t be homeless because my family would never allow that but I wasn’t sure that I wouldn’t have to face the suffering of losing my home.  I was forced to take a hard look at the illusions of control that had been at work within my life, I have had to make peace with the poverty of my youth,  and have even experienced my own “Dark Night of the Soul”. 

So, here I am, my dear readers, wanting to shed a little light in a way that is new to me.  I am willing to give of my knowledge of God and cultural systems, hope and area service providers, wisdom and integration to assist you in any healthy way that I can.  You can send me questions or comments to the e-mail provided and each day I will try to respond to you.  We will go forward into today and tomorrow together.  We will open ourselves to God’s engaging Will and seek out His desire for our lives.  It may take us down uncertain roads but we will be together, holding each other and caring for each other in word and in spirit.  Have a blessed Sabbath.