‘Tis the week of full bellies and fuller hearts — Thanksgiving will soon be upon us. Unfortunately, for many of the clients that we serve, the holidays bring memories of scarcity not abundance. Whether individuals recall scarcity of food, reliable housing or trusted relationships, Atlanta Mission desires that those we serve experience the fullness of God’s goodness. The work we do each week to reteach abundance is highlighted in this holiday week so clearly. Fueled by our mission and rooted in hope, we believe each of our clients can move from scarcity to fullness. Here’s how we’re helping them do it.

Linking Arms

From our Ambassadors program to our Next Steps vocational program, clients at Atlanta Mission are invited into relationships where they link arms with others. For those who have experienced relational poverty, these relationships reinforce that there are people who are committed to their good. Those who arrive at Atlanta Mission find a shoulder to cry on, a trusted friend to listen to a problem, a trustworthy guide toward new life. 

Learning Skills

Many of our clients arrive at Atlanta Mission wondering what they should do with their lives. Job loss or educational struggles may have derailed their plans, and they’re struggling to envision a future filled with hope. Through our life skills classes, we teach practical skills that invite our clients to picture a solid job, a regular paycheck, and fruitful labor. The scarcity mindset that thinks “I’m not good at anything” is slowly replaced with hopefulness that sees possibility and progress.

Lifting Weights

It’s only after you’ve shaken off addiction that you realize the heaviness of the weight you were carrying. Scarcity rules every day that a person wrestles with addiction. Finances go to drugs instead of basic needs. Abuse isolates addicts from those who love and care for them. Addiction leaves little room for anything other than itself, leaving individuals encumbered by a loneliness they can’t escape. We know addiction’s weight and the isolation it brings, that’s why our recovery services aim to help clients move into greater fullness. Our recovery plans offer individuals abundant life by lifting the weight of addiction off their shoulders and replacing it with the joy of freedom.

Living Fully

As an organization rooted in the love of Christ, Atlanta Mission knows that abundant joy is always found in knowing and embracing the love God has for us. Regardless of their personal religious background, our clients know that all of our work is done because God has loved us first in Jesus. Further, through spiritual formation in chapel services, Bible studies and small group opportunities, clients are introduced to this divine love that offers them fullness of life. Atlanta Mission knows that, for many individuals, our work will be one small contribution to rebuilding a life marked by hope. Nonetheless, we count it a privilege to work in the name of Christ, testifying to the abundance that all can find in him.