Drowning Girl

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Imagine you bought yourself a new watch. It works so perfectly (and looks so good on your gorgeous wrist) that you decide to buy yourself a fancy shirt to go with it. Then, you talk yourself into buying a whole new outfit (because you have worked so hard recently and you deserve to treat yourself).

New shoes, fresh underwear, bling.

You look amazing.

And you feel amazing.

But while you’re out for a stroll around the lake (looking like a million bucks) you see a young girl drowning. You can tell that she’s exhausted… seconds from going under.

Tell me, what would you do?

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Back to School: Advocating for Your Child with Special Needs

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Summer is winding down, and kids across America are gearing up for the return to school.  This can bring some challenges and anxiety for both the kids and the parents, and these feelings can be magnified if your child has needs that are not typical.  Parents of children with sensory, learning, and attention exceptionalities often have to navigate a new school year with new teachers, different physical spaces, and most likely a new mix of classmates within a classroom.  Many children who come from places of trauma and loss need their parents (biological, adoptive, and/or foster parents) to help them with this transition and continue to advocate for them as the school year progresses. Here are some proactive and reactive steps parents can take to support your child.

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At the Intersection of Human Trafficking and Immigration

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In recent days, our news feeds have been flooded with images of children separated from their parents and debates about how open our borders should be. Regardless of where we stand politically, we can’t ignore the fact that there are refugees gathered at our backdoor. They aren’t from the other side of the world, and these refugees are fleeing a different kind of war. It is a war that demands the blood of their sons and the innocence of their daughters.

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7 Things to Know About Working with Refugees

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Refugees face many challenges when they arrive to the US. The cultural, linguistic, and institutional differences can create significant barriers for them, but as Christians, we can help them overcome those barriers and adjust to their new lives. Welcoming refugees in our city is the first step, but here are some tips for communication and compassion for those looking to get more involved.

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The Magic of School-Based Mentoring

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“I knew it. I just knew you were going to be here today!”

I couldn’t help but smile as the fourth grader who I had been mentoring for several months exclaimed those words when I showed up at his classroom to pick him up. He was so excited to see me. I admittedly had been having a busy day, and I wasn’t as excited about the prospects of carving out a couple hours in a local elementary school. But, I committed to showing up every week as a mentor no matter what. So, that’s what I did. I just showed up.

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Supporting Foster Families: Act Instead of Ask

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Questions, questions, and more questions.

When you step into the world of foster care, you’re stepping into the great unknown. You don’t know when the phone will ring asking you to take a placement. You don’t know how much time you’ll have to prepare for that placement. You don’t know the child, the case, the issues, or the outcome. You just don’t know.  And for those of us who have said yes to being foster parents, we’ve learned this is a part of our journey.

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L-O-V-E

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L-O-V-E.

Arguably, the most powerful word in existence, and even more so in action. Love is a force like no other. It covers a multitude of sins and darkness, including hatred, racism, fear, and indifference. Love gets so watered down, as we use it to describe our emotions about one thing or another, but true, pure, unconditional love comes from the Father and can only be felt when we give ourselves over to the Creator (who Himself is love) and made us in His image. Continue reading “L-O-V-E” →

Impacting Lives Through Literacy

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Urban Impact Foundation has been given the unique opportunity to impact students inside of the school day.

Urban Impact Foundation is a Christian community development organization that has worked with youth and families on the North Side of Pittsburgh for the past 20 years.

By working to meet the needs of the whole person through holistic community outreach, we can bring transformative hope to Pittsburgh one person, one family, one block at a time. Continue reading “Impacting Lives Through Literacy” →

How Does Mentoring Transform the Lives of Volunteer Mentors?

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I had a wonderful childhood.

I really did. I was raised in a very safe suburban environment with a stable family, good schools, big houses that gained value over time, plentiful food, and lots of churches to choose from. We had a high employment rate with living wages, nice places to shop, and a stable local governance. Most of the children who grew up in the upwardly mobile, homogenous neighborhood with me were expected to go on to college and become the next great contributors to our society. I was surrounded by people who looked like me and thought like me. There weren’t many problems to speak of. There just wasn’t a whole lot of diversity, ethnicity or socioeconomic status where I grew up. Continue reading “How Does Mentoring Transform the Lives of Volunteer Mentors?” →

#MyOne

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Dear friends, do you think you’ll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, “Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!” and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you? Isn’t it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?

James 2:14-17, The Message

 

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