Is it just me, or do certain times in your life prompt you to think about ways you wish you had been better? We have a funny way as humans of putting things on the back burner and not thinking about them again until they start bubbling over. Over the past year(s), the Spirit has convinced me that I do this with selfcare. I realize that while I have a passion for understanding what makes others tick and figuring out how to help them, I neglect doing the same for myself. I think we have an idea that this is admirable in some way, but it lessens our impact. At first, I thought the remedy to this might be to take control of the situation by making more time for myself. I was right, but not in the way I originally thought. You see, I acted as though making more time for myself meant minimizing time with others. In a way, I thought that if I could just get enough alone time to “fix” myself, then I could get back in the game and be better. Spoiler alert: it rarely works that way.
Why do I share this with you? Well, to put it simply, God is showing me that we figure out how to be the best version of ourselves with people, and that means we need each other. It’s easy to think things like, “They won’t like me,” “They don’t need me,” or even, “I don’t have anything to offer,” but being better requires vulnerability. Whereas my original solution to make time for myself by being alone didn’t work, it has started to work by intentionally seeking others, sometimes in big ways, but most of the time, in small ones. Whether it’s a spontaneous round of disc golf with the young adult group, an unplanned trip out to eat, or intentional conversation with the Vanguard men’s group, my life has been made better by plugging in rather than trying to be as unplugged as possible.
As our Wednesday night programs wind down and we head towards summer, it can be easy to unplug, to put community on the backburner for a while in the interest of “selfcare.” While that 100% can (and probably even should) look like rest, vacations, and solitude, I hope you’ll also look for opportunities to call on and include others around you, both in this community of faith and outside of it. Here at AFBC, we have continued to be intentional about leaning into more opportunities for community and relationship-building, especially in an intergenerational way. I hope you’ll continue to join us in that work by plugging into events on a large scale, but also by creating meaningful opportunities on a personal scale. Only you know how you can do the second, but let me tell you of some ways you can be involved in the first. We will be having a Churchwide Picnic on May 13th at the Gem Lakes Pavillion from 5:15 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.! We will provide the hotdogs & drinks, and we invite you to bring any kind of fixing, side, or dessert. Please dress comfortably and bring whatever kind of outdoor game or activity you like. Bathrooms are close by as well as a playground, pickleball/basketball courts, etc.
We hope you’ll join us for this fun event for all ages! If you’d like to grill hotdogs or assist in any specific way, let me know. Even if you can’t attend this event, there are many other opportunities I’d love to tell you about whether it’s volunteering for VBS, praying with those going to our annual summer camps, or tutoring at Brothers and Sisters! One thing I know and am thankful for is that you make us better, and we need you!
In truth and love,
Matt Waller
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