when you can't change anyone

BY JUSTIN HAMPTON

It may sound simple, but one of the toughest lessons to learn as an agent of change is that you literally can’t change anyone. As we've had the privilege to watch many of the youth in our program grow up from lovable elementary school students, to high school students being enticed by every temptation imaginable, a funny thing begins to set in. Some of them, if not most of them “get it.”

Many of the boys that were once knuckle heads, weed smoking, gang-sign throwing, rabble-rousers are now leading the charge for a life devoted to Christ. We have some high school young men that are literally traveling around the southeast United States performing their recorded gospel rap music before audiences of seeking youth. These young men that were once on generational paths of destruction are now snatching others out of those same patterns and leading hearts to commit to the Lord Jesus! 

Seeing them gives me hope. Hope that the ten or so middle school boys currently in my program will “get it” too. That the current batch of young men, hardened by life circumstances and unfathomable conditions, will be receptive to the gospel as well. It's a long road however.

My boys are just entering adolescence and are experiencing the same negative draw that the previous generations of youth have experienced. They are relating to girls differently, visualizing their futures differently, and believing different things about themselves. The innocence of wanting to be a fireman, policeman, cartoonist, or astronaut has long subsided and is now replaced by mixed aspirations .

Often I’ve felt that its my responsibility to revive their dreams; to rekindle that innocent heart that lives behind the tough facade used to mask their hurts. But, as the temporary nature of both my assignment at Common Ground Montgomery, and in fact on this Earth, are made more evident with each passing year, I’ve begun to understand that the responsibility to change lives rests not with me or my efforts, but with the power of God.

Sometimes it's two steps forward and three steps back. One of our most troubled young men got elected as the middle school class president, helped bring order to a disruptive classroom through his leadership, and then got suspended the following week for his own participation in a fight. The silver lining in the clouds is always a source of encouragement, but if we are not careful that same source of hope can serve to drag our morale down if it goes unrecognized, uncelebrated, or is simply non-existent.

We work hard, and sometimes the fruit of our labor shows and sometimes it doesn’t. If we seek to gain our satisfaction and sense of accomplishment from the visible strides made in character, or morality, of one of our youth, we stand on unstable ground. No matter how many trips they take, classes they attend, talks they receive, or bible studies they endure, there is no guarantee of transformation. I’ve learned that my responsibility is to simply stand in prayerful hope that our efforts will plant seeds of change and water existing ones. My measure of success is not in the number of souls saved, students graduated, or families moved into new housing. It can only be in my willingness to yield to the empowering grace of God.

making an impact

BY KEVIN KING 

I went to court the other day to support a parent whose incarcerated son stood before the judge to be sentenced. After the sentencing they marched in about 15 young men who would also learn their fate. I thought of the last letter that I received from this young man vowing to not neglect to come around the men who were once involved in his life. Regrettably, he stated that if he had remained around Common Ground Montgomery he knows he would not have made the poor choices that landed him in the county jail.  

I then remembered the funeral I attended the other week of a young man and remembered the times that I visited him on the drug-infested street where he would hang out. I always asked if he was staying out of trouble and consistently tried to get time with him.

I think of others who have made poor choices only to face the consequences of their actions. I sometimes get discouraged when thinking what if I would’ve had more of an active presence in some of their lives -  would the outcome have been favorable?

Other times I remember the warnings I’ve given in the past to those making destructive decisions literally weeks before they ultimately made a decision that would remove them from society.

Last week a young man sat on my couch depressed by a string of misfortunes encountered by his family. As we sat and talked about how his older brother had been in prison the entire eight years I’ve known him. His second to the oldest brother has been in and out of jail since I’ve known him and has done other things that he hasn’t been caught for yet. Thankfully this high school senior whom I met when he was in the 5th grade has never come close to committing an act that would jeopardize his life.

It dawned on me that he has broken a generational pattern in his household. This young man actually loves the Lord and often looks forward to  our small group as well as worshipping in his own personal time with the Lord. And he is also one of the guys that his peers would consider ‘cool’. He often speaks of marrying his girlfriend one day and having a family together.

One day he placed his hand on my shoulder in one of my irritated moments and assured me that my investment in him and others wasn’t in vain because the Lord was consistently working through me to reach them. He told me that he personally was fruit of my labor!

I learned so much from this 17 year-old that night. His mother often thanks us and tells us what a wonderful job we’ve done with him in partnering with her.

Reasons like this are why I’m so passionate about the new direction of the mentoring program that is coming together at CGM. Consistency in the life of a child who often doesn’t feel hopeful about life is sadly the norm. When we as parents have the support of a friend who undergirds parents by helping to guide a child it lessens the chance of that child being involved in a destructive lifestyle.

We need mentors all over to serve families by advocating for our youth. If every child had a Godly mentor I know it would affect our neighborhood, city, education system, and fill the body of Christ with new believers and overall advance the Kingdom of God. 

Please pray for our mentor program and lasting, impactful relationships with the kids in our community.

meet mrs. patti!

BY AVA CONLEY

I know I say this all the time, but we honestly could not do what we do at Common Ground Montgomery without our incredible volunteers! I can genuinely say that the Lord has brought some really amazingly gifted individuals to our team. I have been constantly blown away this semester by the faithfulness, selflessness, and love for our kids that the volunteers have shown. I'm starting a segment where we take a moment to recognize one of our awesome volunteers!

"Mrs. Patti" has been volunteering with CGM for close to 4 years. We absolutely LOVE her and are so thankful for the impact that she has made at CGM!

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Q: Why do you volunteer with CGM? 

First, the kids; they are bright and beautiful and full of life. Second, I believe CGM is making a difference in the community.        

Q: What is your favorite area to volunteer in?

Academics and tutoring.

Q: Who is your favorite staff person?

That’s a hard one.  I love Kevin’s passion, Chaquana’s heart, and Ava’s tattoos.

Q: How has volunteering at CGM impacted you? 

I love kids. I love to watch them learn and grow. I love their energy and honesty; it’s my remedy for empty nest syndrome.

Q: What is one of the most impactful moments / conversations / interactions you’ve had while volunteering? 

Every time I come to CGM something meaningful happens. It’s why I keep coming back. But this summer I got to read with one of the 2nd graders. He was unmotivated to even try but we kept at it. When academics started back this fall, he had lost ground so we got after it again and he improved. Today, he gets his homework done quickly so that we have time to read together. 

Q: Describe a funny story or interaction that you have had with one of the kids. 

Last year, I had another 2nd grader who was a terrible procrastinator. Took him forever to get his homework done. One day I decided I was going to make him get his work done in the first 20 minutes of academics. I had to really push him to make him stay focused and he did it. Then he promptly disrupted the entire class for the rest of academics because he didn’t have anything to do. We didn’t make that mistake again. 

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Thank you for all you do, Mrs. Patti! 

If you would like more information about becoming a volunteer, please contact Ava Conley by using the CONTACT FORM.

the lord provides

BY SUMMER WILLIAMS

As the grant writer and a fundraiser, I often find myself sitting in front of a blank screen thinking of what I could write for these blog posts. I've never experienced writer's block in the past so why now? I guess I always assume that people don't want to know what it was like getting the end of year mailing together or how long it took to write my most recent grant or how many envelopes with financial statements I stuffed today. And I'm fairly certain y'all will be thankful that I am NOT writing about any of that today.

However, wrapping up 2014 and going into 2015, I think I have a lot to write about. I have been a fundraiser for almost 15 years now. I have worked at an inner city nonprofit, United Way, and Piedmont Park Conservancy in Atlanta. They were all great organizations and it was an honor to help raise money for such worthy causes. In my experience, I have seen detailed and thoughtful fundraising plans and donor approaches laid out for million dollar campaigns. And many times they worked. The strategic planning paid off in the long run. There were no prayers or reliance on a higher power to meet the monetary goals of those organizations; just hard, solid facts of what would work.

But this is my first job with a ministry and I cannot begin to tell you the extraordinary things I have seen the Lord do at Common Ground Montgomery. I came in with my plans, spreadsheets, and a grant writing calender. I thought I was prepared to do my job and do it well. I learned quickly that we are fairly small with a limited number of staff, technology, and even office space. But as this past year has proved, none of that matters. The plans that God has for CGM and the people on the west side of Montgomery far surpasses our circumstances and my plans.

I am constantly in awe when the donations come in. It makes no sense! I have never seen anything like it.

Sometimes after a difficult month or unexpected expenses have occurred, I start to worry about if I have planned properly or if have enough grants submitted to hopefully make up for any shortcomings. Then a $10,000 check, or twenty $100 checks,  will come in the mail and as I'm rejoicing I am reminded of something spectacular. The Lord has gone before me and worked in the hearts of our donors. He has gone ahead of all my plans and has shown our donors that what we are doing here matters. He has not left us or abandoned us. His provision far exceeds mine and continually will.

So with all this being said, here I go in to 2015 with a new found reliance on the Lord. He is with us and desires to see His kingdom grow. This wouldn't be possible without you, our donors. I am so thankful that you listened when the Lord called you to give and I am beyond grateful that I get to directly witness the generosity of the God's people. The Lord has called you to help us with our mission in loving the Washington Park community. He has not forgotten this neighborhood and neither have you. 

the bad guy

BY CORNELIUS JACKSON

It comes as no surprise to me that most of my students do not respond well when disciplinary measures are implemented as a result of unacceptable behavior. In a moment, I can go from being inundated with hugs and hellos to being as unwelcomed in their presence as a nose pimple the day before prom — “Pastor C.J. — the bad guy!”

However, if a cold stare is my reward for my attempts to prepare my students for an even colder world that lies ahead, I’ll take it. And if I am not greeted when passed in the halls because I keep reiterating that passing grades are a by-product of doing homework, I’ll endure it.

Besides, when I was their age, I did the same thing.

But now, I labor to get them to embrace the counsel of Hebrews 12:11 which reads: “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

Because I know this passage to be true in my own life, I am unapologetically committed to the betterment of my kids—both by “love and the rod” (1 Corinthians 4:21). So when the stares are stinging and dialog dies between me and a student as a result of a necessary chastisement, I will endure being the bad guy.

Because sometimes, the bad guys can be good guys in disguise!