In my last couple of posts I have touched on my feelings regarding Christmas and where they come from. I have also spoke about how I got the guys that I manage gift cards to a local Dollar General store because I understood that not everyone has the negative feelings regarding the holidays that I do and my role as manager here is to help the guys deal with negative feelings in the most constructive way possible.
Bah Humbug...
Steps to freedom
One of the meetings that our ministry attends is called "Steps to Freedom" and it is a Christ centered Bible based 12-Step group based on the 12 steps of A.A. and N.A. it has always been one of my favorite meetings as I am allowed to express my love for Jesus and give him credit for what he has done in my life.
In the meeting different guys volunteer to do a short study on the step we are on. Last night the study was based on "Submission" and it was pretty good. After the lesson, there is a short break for guys that still smoke to go outside and do so. Then when they come back in we have open group discussion "Popcorn" style, which means speak when your are moved to.
When everyone comes in from break we normally make any announcements that we need to for the weekend. After I mentioned a couple of things I turned things back over to our resident that was moderating, when my boss, the Ministry Director spoke up.
He said unfortunately you forgot something, and then when I looked confused, he said you forgot that you are loved and valuable to us here, as he reached under the table and brought out a gift bag and handed it to me. Then one of the residents gave spoke up and said yeah we love you too as he handed me a card.
I started to feel a little shaky as I opened the bag and saw it was a mini-drone. I had lost mine when the wind took it a week ago and everyone knew I enjoyed flying it and was planning on getting another one. The one that the Ministry got me as a gift was way better than the one I had!
Then I opened the card and there was $40 in it! These guys who really don't have much had all gotten together and gave me money out of their own pockets! It was everything I could do to not break down right then, but I just said thank you quietly.
All through the meeting I kept thinking that this was really the first time I had ever gotten a gift from someone other than family that was basically doing it out of obligation. This was the first time someone had ever just liked me enough as a person to get me a gift. The thing is these are guys that I sometimes have to discipline and hold accountable for their actions!
After a while I felt like I could speak without breaking into tears....
I was wrong.
Like a baby...
As I started to speak I realized I was going to break down and cry so I just did. After getting myself together I looked up and saw a couple of guys smiling, not in a bad way, but in a loving way.
I told them how much it meant to me by what they had done, and then how proud I was to be involved in each one of their lives on a daily basis.
Sometimes I love my job, and days like yesterday make up for a thousand stressful days.
Maybe not Bah Humbug...
If you have enjoyed this post and would like to read more about a hard-core drug addict that has been redeemed by Jesus, please follow and support me. Also, we have succeeded in creating a chat room on Discord for Recovery and Addiction issues! Please go --HERE-- to join and be a part of our online support network.
My Bosses have given me permission to mention the name of our Ministry in my blogs. I work at Endeavor House Ministries Inc. in Lansing, Michigan. If you look us up you can see us on Facebook, and at https://endeavorhouseministries.com You can donate to the Ministry through PayPal if you want to.
Thank you and God Bless!
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I'm so glad that they had the opportunity to show you how much you are valued there. <3
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It was really nice honestly.
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This post has received a 0.20 % upvote from @drotto thanks to: @banjo.
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