Vernée Wilkinson's Work Stories: Making Space For God and Others
Welcome to the final post in the second annual series of guest posts on the subject of our everyday work lives. During the final weeks of Ordinary Time, we’ve enjoyed a snapshot into the work-life of several friends. Their hospitality and candor gave voice to what they know to be true right now about who they are made to be and, in turn, encouraged us to hear our own work stories in a new way.
I feel lucky to be able to introduce you today to our final guest contributor for this year’s Work Stories. Vernée is a fellow Spiritual Director whom I had the privilege of spending a couple of residencies and one fabulous, conversation-filled road trip back from Boston to New Hampshire and back again. She’s one of those people my heart recognized as kindred in an instant, over a love of this modern icon. While our spiritual expressions look a bit different, we found so much to delight in the places our hearts long for people who live in the darkness of unlove and uncertainty to meet the great Light of Christ who shines brighter than our little torchlights into God’s great mystery can muster. We were drawn together in the unity of God’s Spirit and it’s one of the several beautiful, priceless gifts from my two years of certification.
May Vernée’s hope and prayer for her work to be a place that provides refuge for others encourage each of us today.
In this career season, I am doing Marketing and Community Outreach consulting work. Additionally, I am 3/4 of the way into my Spiritual Direction training through a program called Selah.
The work of Selah requires time and space. To attend to the work of Selah in a way that is meaningful and relevant, I need to have time for our training Residencies, time for extensive reading requirements, time for practice Direction sessions, time to meet with my Direction supervisor, time for personal retreats and other varied assignments.
The time that I have to take part in this work and chosen area of study is a gift. I guard this gift by building a work schedule that supports my continued training to be a spiritual director. For me, my Selah work requires my day to day work to allow flexibility of scheduling.
My current weekly calendar is divided and subdivided into many sections. These blocks of time are allocated for consulting work with SchoolFacts Boston, consulting work with the Theology of Work Project, Selah assignments, volunteer ministry work and Family time. The visual of multiple open tabs on a desktop feels like a picture of my mind on most days. I manage 3 email accounts, 4 twitter accounts, 3 Facebook accounts, and 3 Instagram accounts. Switching mindset, strategy and brand voice from one time block to the next on any given day can be a challenge. The benefit is a flexibility of schedule but the cost is often feeling overstretched.
In all of this I feel and experience in myself and with others the need to pause and leave open physical, mental and emotional spaces for God to meet us with His/Her/Their love and grace. If my current work were to have a future culmination, my prayer is to curate and host a retreat center, where God’s people can gather to hear God’s voice. In particular, my heart desires to provide a refuge space where historically marginalized peoples can find healing from trauma.
This is my prayer.
I love slippers and all things cozy. This time of year brings the Boston cold that can be unkind at times. Working from home days paired with cozy things and direct access to hot tea is always inviting.
I had the pleasure of leading a recent spiritual direction session and these objects were on the table while we met. A candle, tissues and a glass of water are always on hand. During this particular meeting play items were added in and were used during our closing reflection time.
Supporting the growth and development of my children is a central part of my daily activities.
I advocate for equity in education for my children and all children.
Every once in a while my husband and I make it out to an inspiring event like a concert. Outings like these give us time to enjoy something together and often feel like rewards for our hard work.
Here are two books by authors that were guest on the new Making It Work podcast. I have been supporting the marketing for this podcast launch. Helping with this project has allowed me the bonus of hearing the podcast guests talk about ways they are inviting God into their work challenges.
These stacked open tabs feel like the open topics and areas of work that are on my mind on a daily basis.
Vernée Wilkinson is a community outreach and non-profit communications consultant. She has an entrepreneurial heart that is applied to all of her endeavors in life. Currently, Vernée is studying to become a Spiritual Director through the Selah training program. She resides in Boston with her loving family.
Here’s a benediction and song for all of us and our neighbors.
“Lord of the Universe, we praise you for your creation, for the wonders of space, the beauty of the world, the value of the earth’s resources, and the skills of hand and brain which enrich our lives.
We thank you for humanity in all its diversity, for the unique individuality of every child, woman and man, for the gathered communities of home, work and leisure; of village, city and nation.
We thank you for offering us the chance to share in creation through the work of hand and brain; for the opportunity to plan and design, to manufacture and grow, to service and conserve, and to care for one another in the places where we work.
We thank you for giving us special gifts and responsibilities, for enabling us to stand upright and make choices, for presenting us with opportunities to promote justice and truth.
And because he shared with us our humanity and our world, we thank you for the gift of your Son Jesus Christ, our beginning and our end, who carried out your work to your praise and glory and for the renewal of your creation. So we make our prayer to you in his name, who died and rose again for us. Amen”
Establish the Work of Our Hands, The Porter’s Gate [feat. Aaron Keys & Urban Doxology]
What story does your daily work tell about who you are called to be in this world right now?
Share with me know in the comments below!
(You can read all of the Work Stories here.)