Frances Robin

Change Maker

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Taking that Crucial first Step...

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Ten Things to Discover about Yourself...

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Five Important Things You Should Know About Courses...

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She Wants a Roof over Her Head, Not Diapers

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A women who is pregnant and homeless doesn’t care about attending classes to get a pack and play or diapers.

She cares about getting a roof over her head before night falls. Whether it’s getting into a shelter, sleeping in a car, a quiet bathroom or a tent in the woods. These are her concerns.

Too often when are women are given items as answers to bigger life problems. Diapers and pack and plays are necessary after or when she’s settled but not when she’s in crisis as a result of homelessness.

If you know of a woman who is pregnant or who has recently given birth, but doesn’t have consistent housing call 571-261-2838. Homes, like Carried To Full Term, have programs that are designed to equip women with the tools and resources to help her provide for herself and her family.

Click here to learn more about Carried To Full Term.

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Leave Your Mark

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Last night, I was reminded of the day I made a decision to follow Christ. Growing up in Dominica, the Christian Faith was an intense, serious and fun experience.

We were taught that the time is urgent and we have to tell the whole world about God. At the time, the whole world was our little village but that never stopped us from thinking about saving the world.

Throughout my school years, I’ve had all sorts of friendships and I’ve had all sorts of fun. During some of the fun, I think God would’ve probably given Jesus a high five and other times I think he probably shook his head and covered one eye.😳

I’ve never, ever thought that people would not want to be around those who identify as Christ followers, until recently. I believed that once people, once they recognized that I or anyone who was a Christ follower, it would be the thing they’d be drawn too. Or the thing that would draw people to each other.

When I was in high school, I took almost my entire basketball team to church. Why not? It was only afterward, at practice, they told me I took them to an all-black church. It never crossed my mind. All I wanted was to share my joy and I loved my team so much, I thought they should have it too!

I’ve been loved by some of the best people God created along this journey. From my grandmother to my family, teachers, pastors, my Jeff, and my Ange, Andy, roommates, coworkers and on and on.

Love, at least the kind God says we are to practice does not put lines, boxes, limits, conditions or requirements on how it should be shared. We are just called to love even those who are considered enemies.

I can say there are times, a lot of times when Christ has been shared with me or with others and not once was his name ever mentioned, that’s because his signature is in us and he is known through us by the way we love.

Let’s get back to leaving our mark, the kind that no pen can make and no eraser can remove.

I’ve got what you need.

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We Are The Answer

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We, hold the power to respond to much of what is hurting each other and our communities. Time and presence are two of the biggest investment toward change. If we invested our time to help those around us who are hurting in the smallest of ways, change WILL happen.

Rise up! Take hold of your power! Walk in it!

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Helping vs. Enabling

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Yesterday I was asked, what is the hardest part of my job? I responded by saying, being careful to avoid burn out, guarding your heart and understanding the difference between helping and enabling.

It’s a fact that people are made to be in relationships with each other. When those of us who are wired to fix what is broken meet members in our community who are hurting, our natural instinct is to fix what’s wrong.

Fixing someone else’s crisis without inviting them to participate in the self investment will only be temporary and the cycle or crisis often repeats itself.

The program at Carried To Full Term, is designed to help women break cycles that lead to a perpetual state of poverty.

Even with those warnings in place, I’ve seen both burnout and hurt happen.

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Motivation and Commitment Facilitates Change!

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In my experience, the change we seek will be dependent on what motivates us and our level of commitment.

If our motivation is to find fault, then fault we will find.

If it’s to make a political statement, then many statements will be made.

If it’s to seek perfection, then nothing will be accomplished.

If our commitment is to invest in a life and to support an individual even after their story rips every ounce of air from our being and leaves us breathless, then we become the change makers.

When the very people we’ve committed to help turns on us and even rejects our help, when they leave us abruptly and we’re left mourning the sudden loss, yet we stay committed, we’ve become facilitators of change.

To those of us who have planted the seeds, and to the ones who came after and watered the garden, a blossom IS coming. To those who have remained to tend the garden, be encouraged.

The fruits of your hard work have already shown itself to be good, very good. Be encouraged!

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Steps to Creating Change

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Anyone can become an effective agent of positive change within their community. Often, instead of waiting for someone else or the government to fix a problem, it sometimes is more effective if the project is led by a community member.  I am a firm believer that much can be achieved through service.

For example, if you want to help students learn, then one way to do so, is by becoming a tutor.

    1. You can start at your local schools. Learn what the requirements are, then make the necessary calls. Once you’ve gathered all the information submit the necessary paperwork, in a timely manner, attend the required training, be on time and be responsive.
    2. If you like to mentor students, maybe you might consider becoming a coach. You can follow the same steps above.

If you’dd like to open a business, pray about it, do some research and then read my post, how to get started with your business. Whatever change you desire in your community, there are initiatives that you can become involved create or become the change you desire in your community. There are no shortcuts. It is easy to believe that you can shortcut your way to your goals. The truth is, you can’t.  The best approach is to be a truthful, genuine, prayerful, faithful, listening and responding to sound advice, and hard work. These are the best tools to get to what God has prepared for you.

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