There are many reasons I cherish working at LHP. I am passionate about caring for people and my job as Chaplain allows me to assist both employees and residents. I have traveled to many of our properties and met hundreds of residents who appreciate what we do and who are thankful for the quality affordable homes LHP provides. I’ve visited with dozens of employees who love their jobs and who are proud to work for LHP. Having expressed this, envision for a moment that someday there will be enough housing and shelter available to eliminate homelessness across America! Wouldn’t this be a great breakthrough and an excellent reason to celebrate?
Our Thanksgiving holiday just around the corner holds many special memories of spending time with family and friends and giving thanks for the many blessings we enjoy. But it can also make us feel sad when we think about the people who won’t be celebrating Thanksgiving–loved ones who are no longer with us and people and families who are homeless or impoverished.
In recent years, I have become more aware of the epidemic of homelessness. So, this time of year evokes images of hopeless people wondering the streets in search of a helping hand. Think about it. For most of us, Thanksgiving gives rise to family reunions, exciting football, turkey with stuffing, pumpkin pie and, of course, giving thanks for God’s gifts and yet, there are so many homeless individuals and people living in poverty who are not able to enjoy these things.
Walking along Knoxville’s Gay Street recently with the temperature barely reaching the mid-50s, I noticed two ladies talking with another lady who was sitting on the walkway with her back resting against the building knitting. One of the ladies asked, “Where do you sleep at night?” She responded as she pointed with her frail fingers, “over there near the parking lot.” As the warm weather turns colder, people in similar situations as this lady will seek refuge in places to shield them from the cold.
All of us have heard the sad expression “Life is too short to worry about that.” Because of this expression, we have become fearful in moving toward the idea of helping others. When others tell you that life is too short to worry about something, press on toward your vision of helping others. You have the Lord’s approval. Because you have that, you can disregard the nay-sayers and move forward. If you wait for everyone to approve, agree or applaud you, you will get nowhere.
Too often, we don’t pursue our dreams for fear of failure or ridicule. We are so used to self-imposed limitations and telling ourselves, “I can’t do that,” we think we can’t do anything. In essence, we have built a box, crawled inside and now we are looking for something or someone to blame for our lack of faith. God didn’t box you in, you did it to yourself, and you need to take the initiative to break out. So, break out and Never Give Up! Never Give Up! Never Give Up!
By Chaplain Ghosten
chaplain@lhp.net
