Day 75. I have chosen to live intentionally toward the goals, dreams and desires God has placed on my heart for the last 90 days of 2019, pressing past fear, excuses and discomfort toward fullness of life. Goal: cultivating community.
Darci. She provided over 40 meals, more than 120 servings, over a period of 40 weeks during a year life was chaotic. She never asked for permission. She listened, knew what would help and took action. “I’ll leave your dinner in the fridge at church. You can grab it when you’re ready.”
No makeup. Pajamas. Unwashed hair. She has seen me like this more times than I can count. Still when she sees me, she smiles, welcomes with a hug, and warmly says, “I’m so glad you’re here!”
She is my brain when I lose my mind. She lifts me up, challenges me to embrace my dreams, has my back, and calls me out when I need it. She prays for me, empathizes with me in pain and emboldens me to walk in the strength. She listens to my stories again and again and again, without making me apologize for my need to process. She holds space for me, and she allows me to hold space for her.
Darci was the first person to reach to me when friends moved away, loneliness set in and limited transportation and newborn babies fostered a season of isolation. There were no friends around the corner, down the street or across town when she courageously asked me, “Dinner?”
She welcomed my family into her beautiful home. Anxiety in our eyes with two toddlers’ in tow, she warmly explained, “See all of these beautiful things? You and your children are more valuable than all of them. All of these things can be replaced. You cannot. So please, relax. Let your children play here as they would at home. Don’t worry about them breaking anything. Make yourself at home.”
That is always were it begins and ends with Darci: “Welcome. You are valuable. You cannot be replaced. Make yourself at home.”
Welcome: ALL of you is welcome here.
You are valuable: You are loved, and you possess worth and value before you do anything.
You cannot be replaced: You are a treasure worth treasuring.
Make yourself at home: Breathe deeply and bring your whole self to the table because we are in this together.
Who is your Darci? Who laughs with you? Who holds grace for you to grow, propels you forward through encouragement and invites transformation though transparency and accountability? Who speaks truth to you? Who has your back and stands with arms open wide, beckoning, “Welcome. You are valuable. You cannot be replaced. Make yourself at home.”
ACTION STEPS: Take a moment to reflect on a friendship that has positively impacted your life. Why was it meaningful? Thank God for that friendship.
Next, reflect on the current status of your friendships. Do you have at least one healthy friendship? If not, what is hindering you? Ask God to show you one simple step you can take to foster healthy friendships/ move toward community? Maybe there is no one around the corner in this season, but who is a phone call, text or vox away? Now, take action.
My dear friend, Darci. She makes me laugh until I cry. I love this lady.