Connection

Connection. It’s something we were created to do. In fact, it might be THE thing we were created to do. Life is meaningless without a deep and vital connection to Jesus (see John 15, which uses the illustration of the branches needing to be connected to the vine to bear fruit). And I think most would agree that feeling disconnected to those around you is pretty rough. The problem is that connection often takes a lot of work. It can often be painful and requires vulnerability. (Daring Greatly by Brene Brown is a must read on this subject.)

I’m basically a fearful person. Lots of things scare me. One thing that particularly scares me is rejection, in any form. Putting myself out there and doing something that might bring about rejection is super hard. It might be something as simple as sending someone a text (What if I’m bothering them?) or writing a blog (what if people think my ideas are dumb?), or sharing with someone what I’m learning (what if they don’t care?). But all of these kinds of things can all be tools to bring about connection. I’m very slowly learning the value of vulnerability and the great rewards of connection. It’s what makes life truly worth living.

As I’m spending more time focusing on what I want to be important to me in life, I’m finding that connection is on the top of the list. I want to start analyzing the things I do every day, and try to make sure a high percentage of what I do is involved in connection. First and foremost with Jesus, and secondly with those around me, also with a purpose of helping them connect with Jesus too. I want to live out my conviction that connection is worth the risk of possible rejection or upsetting people.

I still have a lot to learn on this subject, and I would welcome any input or thoughts. I’m also learning that my favorite ways of connecting is to dialogue with people about subjects like this one :)

Thank you Jesus for initiating connection with us, and even giving Your life to preserve it. Help me strive to make it my first and most important task each day. And thank you for putting people in my life to help me learn and experience the beauty of true connection.

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.

The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly....."

- Theodore Roosevelt