Lead Me, Lord

BY BRIANNA STEPHENS

The still, soft voice of the Holy Spirit guides us toward the path that God has set before us. In moments when we are unsure of what’s next or what we are capable of doing, that voice can speak volumes. Gloria Jordan has always been sensitive to that voice and has remained faithful to God’s plan throughout her nearly 40 years with Christian Appalachian Project (CAP).

“I could not have gotten this far because self gets in the way,” said Jordan, senior vice president of administration and philanthropy at CAP. “Flesh gets in the way, your attitude gets in the way, and you close the doors God has opened for you. When you put yourself somewhere, whatever you did to get there you’re going to have to keep doing it. When God puts you there, He is able to sustain you. When he puts you there, you are there for a reason and a purpose. All through this time, I can look back, and I can see His hand working in my life as He used me to work in other people’s lives and to help grow people.”

Looking back at her first days at CAP, Jordan said she felt “green as grass,” but was eager to learn and embrace new opportunities. Her background in nursing prepared her for her first position at CAP as the medical coordinator for the Home for Special Children. The residential facility was a foster home for medically fragile children with the goal of placing the children back home with their biological families or with adoptive parents. She advanced to the manager position of the facility before it transitioned out of CAP’s programming.

She vividly remembers sweeping by herself in the kitchen of the facility when she asked God where His path would lead her next. She heard a voice clearly speak to her, and it said, “Parents Are Teachers,” which is CAP’s early intervention initiative that serves children from birth to 3 years old. She followed the guidance and served in the program as well as in the Hisel Child Development Center, which offered a variety of programming for children and teens; Christian Appalachian Project Resources for Independency in Community and Employment, also known as CAPrice, a program focused on supporting the needs of older teens and adults with disabilities; and Rainbow Respite, which served the needs of families of children with disabilities.

In her 18th year at CAP, she again asked God what was next for her. She was approached with an opportunity to move from human services programming into administration to serve as the director of Human Resources. While she was unsure of the transition, she leaned into her faith and trusted that it was another step along her path.

“God knew where I was and where I needed to be,” Jordan said. “He reminded me it wasn’t about status or the position I was in. He was building my character. He put me in the right place with the right people and helped me listen, learn, and observe. CAP also helped provide me with opportunities to grow and develop the skills I needed at the time.”

Providing opportunities for employees to professionally develop has been an important part of Jordan’s time at CAP, and something she hopes becomes her legacy with the organization. To her, a successful organization not only carries out its mission, but also invests in its employees, who are the future of the work.

“What has remained throughout my time at CAP is the heart of the employees who have been here,” Jordan said. “They have a heart for service, they want to make a difference, and they love the people we serve. It is important that we continue to build on our core values of faith, service, and compassion, and cultivate a workplace culture that will pour into our people and help them grow.”

Today, CAP’s employees and volunteers continue to meet needs that our founder Rev. Ralph W. Beiting saw when he came to Appalachia. In recent years, the region has faced immense challenges, like COVID-19 and multiple natural disasters, but CAP continues to find new ways to serve growing needs as they arise.

“No matter what challenges we see, CAP is still meeting the most basic human needs,” Jordan said. “I am proud to say our donors never have to question if their funds are being used for the right things. I’ve seen it in action for many years. This organization is who it says it is. You can bank on it. You can stand on it. You can fight for it. I hope 60 years from now, CAP continues to serve people in need in Appalachia.” n