By Denise Seibert Townsend
Catholic Charities
We have all heard the saying, The only constant is change! Change can be fun and exciting, but change can also be messy and scary.
This time of year, there are several predicted and visible changes around us – students graduating, summer weddings, warm temperatures and summer flowers blooming. These changes are expected. We can plan and prepare for them. They are often celebrated and welcomed changes.
Other changes are unpredictable. Experiences like a sudden illness, the loss of a job and the death of a loved one are often unexpected and life-altering. These changes are difficult. At times, these changes can even test a person’s faith.
“For I know well the plans I have in mind for you—oracle of the LORD—plans for your welfare and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope. When you call me, and come and pray to me, I will listen to you. When you look for me, you will find me. Yes, when you seek me with all your heart, I will let you find me—oracle of the LORD—and I will change your lot; I will gather you together from all the nations and all the places to which I have banished you—oracle of the LORD—and bring you back to the place from which I have exiled you” (Jeremiah 29:11-14).
I like this scripture because it is shared in our Neighbor to Neighbor program offered at Catholic Charities, and it reminds me that God has a plan for us. As we face change and adversity, it can be difficult to remember that there is a plan. Sometimes, it is not what we would plan for ourselves. However, when we allow ourselves to become closer to God, we become part of His plan. God assures us that He loves and cares for us.
As I reflect on this scripture, I am drawn to God’s assurance that He will be there for us. He wants us to have “a future full of hope.” Our work at Catholic Charities centers on providing hope to those who seek our services:
- Hope to a person seeking counseling services who is experiencing grief and anxiety following the unexpected loss of her spouse
- Hope to the single mother who is diligently participating in our Neighbor to Neighbor program so she can improve her financial stability and one day own her own home
- Hope to the man who has been unemployed for three months and is working with Catholic Charities to obtain the work boots needed to start a new job next week
Through our services at Catholic Charities, we strive to provide hope and opportunities. As we provide these services, we attempt to be a source of comfort. I pray that our services can also be a reminder to those we are working with that God wants each person to have a future full of hope.