Happy April and Happy Easter Everyone!!
This week is our spring break, so I hope all of my Senders are doing some fun things with your kids if you are in that season of your life.
I was in a text thread recently and someone said, “If you need anything please let me know,” and that sparked a thought in my heart. Women usually never reach out, so we must reach in. This will be the premise of this month, from the perspective of connection, wellness, mindset and purpose.
So many times, we as women make offers with good intent, but never follow through and convert it into an action step. We put it on the other person to call and collect. This puts the receiver in the vulnerable position of having to confess they are in need of something, and for most, they don’t really want you to know.
So, I want to give a little word of encouragement for those reading this from a widow’s perspective. I wrote about this last December, that when someone steps in, rest for the widow or widower begins. When you make an offer, put behind it a place, a time, and a purpose to when your offer will be redeemed. Putting it on us may be standard operating procedure, and even sounds kind, but without action it’s just another empty promise that over time makes the receiver feel less than fine.
I want to give you an example. A friend of mine called me up a few years ago and said I want to watch your kids so you and another widow friend could go out of town for dinner. She gave us money for dinner and watched both our kids too. She is one of the few that wasn’t family who offered this kind of gift, and it was so good for our souls. These are the kind of offers that have an action step built into them. She said, this is what I am willing to do. Pick a date and I will come and cover your kids and your meal. Kindness like this heals. This is a sign of connection and relationship and valuing people enough to see how you can help by giving them a break from their schedules to get away. And play is and was a good thing.
Widows with kids need breaks. However, we know that for most mothers or families right now, their lives are pretty busy. To call and ask you to help us out makes us feel like a burden, for taking you away from your day of fun or productivity is not something we want to do. So, we don’t. This friend reached in, and that day was so fun, for we got to get away and try out a new restaurant without parenting or sharing our food with our little ones. Getting to breath by having an adult conversation was such an amazing time. It is so beautiful when someone in their daily coming and going thinks about someone else and then decides in their heart they want to offer a piece of themselves up for you. They call to say, “this is what I am willing to offer you, and please say yes.”
This is a simple example of reaching in, and I’m so thankful I get to share a real story of these kind of people who make up the body of Christ. It can be scary for the one making the offer to call, for it’s vulnerable on their end to see if the offer will be accepted or not. I think that is one of the main reasons why people usually leave it for the other person, because it takes the risk out of the equation. However, I just want to encourage you that love takes risks, and when you follow the promptings of the heart, it may feel vulnerable, but it is so rewarding when you get to step into another’s story and make their day filled with His glory.
I think this is enough for now. Stay tuned next week as I take this thought about reaching in by focusing on wellness. Amen.
Until next time,
Keep Believing
Keep Braving
Keep Beaming