Before starting college, Kelly lived among California urbanites, Oklahoma Bible Belters, Guatemalan natives and missionaries, and Nebraska Cornhuskers. The perfect example of a "Third Culture Kid," Kelly could never learn enough about this peculiar and fascinating world. In a social problems class in college, she fell in love with the idea that one could make a career out of studying society and working for positive change. College also presented many difficult but ultimately enriching challenges to how she understood and lived out her faith.
Following graduation, Kelly worked at a food bank to promote SNAP (food stamps) among underserved populations. In addition to advocacy and public awareness work, she educated applicants and service providers about the nuanced application process. While she learned many things in this role, her greatest takeaway was an immense respect for those who work tirelessly just to make ends meet. After working at the food bank, she moved to Trujillo, Peru, for four months. There, she volunteered at an orphanage and medical clinic and received never-ending grace for her embarrassing Spanish.
Kelly is thankful for her richly diverse experiences to-date and hopes that her worldview continues to grow as she works with the Sojourners community. Outside of work, Kelly loves to run, discuss theology, escape frustrating theology discussions with pointless TV, get lost in good music, and try new foods.
Posts By This Author
Chick-fil-A and An Unexpected Friendship
Patrons at a Florida Chick-fil-A on National Support Day. Cheryl Casey / Shutterstock.com
Shane L. Windmeyer, a nationally recognized LGBT leader in higher education, recently ‘came out’ as a friend of Dan Cathy, Chick-fil-A’s president and COO, who found himself embroiled in a PR battle after making anti-gay marriage statements. In Windmeyer's article published in the HuffPost Gay Voices, Shane explains the unusual turn of events that led to his sitting alongside Dan Cathy at college football’s Chick-fil-A Bowl and going public with their friendship.
As the executive director of Campus Pride, the leading national organization for LGBT and ally college students that launched a national campaign against Chick-fil-A, Shane hesitantly took a phone call from Dan last fall. As the two continued their conversation in the months to come, Dan learned more about Shane, the LGBT community, and their perspective of Chick-fil-A’s controversial actions. Shane, too, learned of Dan’s genuinely held beliefs and important details regarding Chick-fil-A’s giving practices.
I find the significance of this article summed up in Shane’s words:
"It is not often that people with deeply held and completely opposing viewpoints actually risk sitting down and listening to one another. We see this failure to listen and learn in our government, in our communities and in our own families."
John the Baptist's Revolutionary Message
Photo: Bible, olivier / Shutterstock.com
Every Christmas, my family makes an 8-hour drive to celebrate the holidays with extended family. This year, to fight off sleep half-way through the trek, my sister started reading aloud in the book of Luke. Before you begin to feel remorse about your worldly choices in travel entertainment this past holiday, you should know that we opted for this reading only after finding a disappointing selection at Red Box. While Hollywood failed us, God did not. The Spirit revealed something new in a story I’ve heard over and over.
My sister read aloud. Chapter 1: Zechariah, Mary, Elizabeth, babies on the way. Chapter 2: Jesus, prophesies. Chapter 3: John the Baptist, and wait, what?
Luke 3:7-14 reads:
When the crowds came to John for baptism, he said, “You brood of snakes! Who warned you to flee God’s coming wrath? Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. ... The crowds asked, “What should we do?” John replied, “If you have two shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry.” Even corrupt tax collectors came to be baptized and asked, “Teacher, what should we do?” He replied, “Collect no more taxes than the government requires.” “What should we do?” asked some soldiers. John replied, “Don’t extort money or make false accusations. And be content with your pay.”