Relationship

I wrote about safety nets in my last post. The following day I read this devotion, written as a letter from God:

“I am with you. These 4 words are like a safety net, protecting you from falling into despair. Because you are human, you will always have ups and downs in your life experience. But the promise of My presence limits how far down you can go. Sometimes you may feel like you are in a freefall, when people or things you had counted on let you down. Yet as soon as you remember that I am with you, your perspective changes radically.”

– Sarah Young, “Jesus Calling”

These words ring so true to me. I have experienced this again and again. My faith helps me maintain a higher level of perspective on the ups and downs of life. My relationship with God is my actual safety net.

So in being a steward of what God has given me, doesn’t it make sense to extend my net? To build relationships where I can say: I am with you. I’ll use my knowledge, skills and life experience to support you to limit how far down you can go. I’ll help you maintain a higher level perspective and encourage you as you work to meet your personal goals.

This is my new endeavor, friends! Through Circles RVA, we are building community (i.e., relationships) to end (i.e., break the cycle of) poverty.

Most of my “circle” lives with me inside the suburban bubble. We are middle- to high- income levels. We feel stress or pressure regarding finances, but the reality is we’re in the top percentile across the entire globe. For some of us it may or may not have been a struggle, but we have navigated education systems and financial processes to find ourselves securely over the poverty line. But do you know the numbers outside of our bubble?    

The official poverty line for a family of four is $24,250 per year or less.

The Richmond poverty rate (25.3%) is nearly twice the national level.

The RVA poverty rate is even higher for children at 38.7%.

In some Richmond neighborhoods, the poverty rate is as high as 50%.

Poverty is COMPLEX. Could we simplify it and say RELATIONSHIP can make a tangible difference? There are countless short term efforts that meet a singular need - we volunteer and donate to them often... but long term change requires depth. Establishing models and mentors for those who are the product of generational poverty can break the cycle. Relationship is the game changer.