November was busy for all, but despite everything going on, the Clinic staff had multiple opportunities to stop and give thanks for our many, many blessings! This month, we celebrated our amazing volunteers with two different Volunteer Appreciation Luncheons, catered by Panera, and with a fun photo booth for lasting memories! And we highlighted one of our most committed volunteers and Board Member Fatima Johnson in a recent post.

From the age of 11, Sha’na knew she wanted to be an attorney. “I watched a movie called Separate but Equal with Thurgood Marshall and documenting the whole Brown vs. Board of Education decision,” she says. “That was the first time I realized how much influence and power attorneys had to make change, and so I knew I wanted to be a part of that.” For years, Sha’na worked towards that goal, graduating from college and then Law School—ultimately passing the bar examination earlier this year.

For Americans, the month of November brings with it the reminder to take notice of the blessings in our lives and to be grateful for them. This November was no different. At the Clinic, we took stock of things like amazing partnerships with organizations like Shepherd Community Center, a group that is fighting to end generational poverty on the near Eastside of Indianapolis every single day. We also reflected on current events happening in our world and in our country, and our Executive Director Chris Purnell shared his thoughts on what it means to respond to them in a way that brings glory to Christ.

Jesus taught this to his followers in fairly concrete terms. He said if you’re going to invite someone to your fancy soiree, invite the poor and those who can’t pay you back with a return invite (See Luke 14:7-14). And, in a very famous passage in Mark, he says that all “payments” made for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven will be repaid by God in the end—and then some (See Mark 10:17-31). In the reality of Christ’s kingdom, we are free to be generous and free to receive generosity because we all know where the gift comes from.