How many times have you thought to yourself, "What a stupid idea it was to do this task alone!"
Or, "Man, I could really use an extra hand with this project."
Or, "It would so great if ____ was here with me now."
And then, felt frustrated in being alone. Bitter maybe?
To this, enter this week's word: help.
Help defined as to give assistance or support. To show up for someone in their time of need.
Help is a word so many of us, myself included, have a hard time asking for even when we're really in a bind.
We don't want to impose. We see how busy our friends are. It is so much easier if we just do it ourselves. Or what if they say no? (We hate rejection).
So, we simply carry on. And find a way to tire ourselves out.
But, when we don't ASK for what we need, we miss out on life's surprises, and what we need!
Recently, I found myself in a hard place. I didn't know how I was going to juggle all of the commitments on my plate for the next day. And I was exhausted. Sure, I could have just tarried on. Or, I could just call the friend whose name I couldn't get out of my mind. I believe, God put her name in my mind for a reason.
When I did reach out, not only did my friend say yes to helping me with my specific ask, but she volunteered to do something even more. (Something, of course I needed, but didn't even know how to articulate). And I learned this: people want to help us. They really do. It helps other people to help us.
Recently I listened to this podcast by Brene Brown. In it, she shares this about our friendships:
"If you can only help others but do not ask for the same from them, you aren't in a trusting relationship. When you think less of yourself for asking for help, what you're actually doing is thinking less of them."
Ouch, right?
It's not healthy to be the helper all the time (even if we are physically healthy or available and could say yes!).
Do we really want to think less of others?
For the truth is: we are ALL going to face seasons in life when we are going to have to ask people to do things for us that maybe we'd prefer to do on our own.
But you know what? We are going to feel more connected and grounded in belonging as we ask and receive.
So here's your homework: what help do you need to ask for this week? Who might you ask for that help?
XO
Elizabeth
Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the problems in this world?
Do you ever wonder, what's the point? I'm just one person. How can my voice change anything at all?
Well, enter into the conversation this week's word: advocate.
It's a word that reminds us that we can do something. We can stand up for one person.
Advocate is a verb which means to pled the cause of another, to support or argue for another.
Or as I like to define it, to advocate is to believe that another person's goodness and well-being is directly tied to mine.
In 2019, I attended a Friday night Shabbat prayer service at a Jewish synagogue in celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend. There were so many powerful moments in this service as Jews and Gentiles alike prayed together and as we held hands with strangers and sang, “We Shall Overcome.”
But honestly, what I will remember most is what the Rabbi said.
During her sermon, she told us to look at our neighbor and know that our freedom and our liberation was tied to that of our neighbors. You need to know this: most of us were gathered among strangers.
"Yet for any of us to be truly free," she said, "all of us have to be free."
Think about that for a minute. Powerful, right?
No matter if our history with one another is short our long-- we all belong to each other. We all need each other to live the abundant lives God has called us to live. We all need to do our part to protect the most vulnerable among us.
So, here's what I would love you to do this week if you're up for it:
Pick one neighbor of yours (and by neighbor I mean anybody close or far) that you can advocate for.
It might mean attending a community or school board meeting, advocating for a child in your neighborhood to have the safest school year.
It might mean calling a friend who is struggling with depression, advocating for a tired soul to find rest.
It might mean writing a note to a member of Congress about an issue that is close to your heart.
The possibilities are endless, really. It might be as simple as wearing your mask when you'd rather not.
I know what I'm asking you to do is HARD work. But please hear me say, I'm doing it alongside you, seeking to learn more this week about what it means to be an advocate. It's the work I believe God calls us to do the most! Let's talk again next Sunday.
XO
Elizabeth
Friends-
Today is a purely personal post. It's a post of celebration and hope and excitement about the future as it relates to my family.
As many of you know, Kevin, my husband, accepted a position back in April to become the new President/ CEO of Feed the Children-- one of the largest domestic and international relief agencies. It's an organization for that helps ensure the 12 million children at risk of going hungry in the United States simply do not. It is an organization that in 2011 delivered over 104 million pounds of food and other life essentials to children in need and their families around the world. They do great work!
Considering Kevin's master's degree in international affairs, work experiences in large corporations and most recently as the Chief Operating Officer at a non-profit in DC, and his heart for using his leadership skills to fulfill his Christian calling of service-- he rose to become the perfect fit for this organization seeking a visionary and energetic new leader.
Today is Kevin's first official day on the job. He couldn't be more excited to get to work with Feed the Children! I know he will love his new job even with all of the new responsiblity it will bring.
Though the transition will be hard for us in the beginning, as I continue to work here in DC as a pastor and he spends a lot of time in Oklahoma City learning the business, I couldn't be more proud of him. I am cheering him and Feed the Children on and today, I'm asking you to do the same.
I know it would mean so much to Kevin (and to me too) if you took a moment this afternoon if you are a Facebook or Twitter user and post a comment of support for Kevin and his new work. Let's let the great staff at Feed the Children know how wonderful their new leader is going to be for this organization.
Feed the Children on Facebook
Feed the Children on Twitter
Or, even better, consider making a donation in celebration of Kevin's first day and all the good that you know he is going to do with this wonderful organization by clicking here. If you know Kevin, you know that your donation will be put to great use, especially in this organization that already has a four star rating with Charity Navigator.
Thanks so much for your support in this new adventure the journey,
Elizabeth
