Let's Talk About How It Takes A Village

I'm sure you've heard it before. Perhaps you've said it yourself.

It takes a village.

Typically people are talking about raising children when they say this. But isn't it true that most things in life "take a village"?

I'm just coming out of an incredibly busy season at work. Our annual conference event was a couple of weeks ago. The weeks prior are typically  . . . well . . . crazy. There's just no other way to put it. I end up working early, working late, not sleeping well, dreaming crazy dreams, grabbing a few minutes to see Hubs whenever I can—even if it's just 30 minutes for dinner at Chick-Fil-A. No matter how much try to plan ahead and anticipate what those weeks will bring, there are always random things that crop up. It just can't be helped. It's life!

Then there's the fact that Hubs is also in an incredibly busy season at work (and has been since the fall!), a couple of intense family situations, some major challenges surrounding said big work event, and there are some pretty significant changes coming for me at my work. What is normally a "busy" time has been a bit overwhelming.

I wrote in an email last week: "At times over the past several weeks, it's felt a bit like we were barely hanging on with some big things popping up in the middle of the general busyness of work. We are SO thankful for family and good friends who encourage us and help us out when we need it."

And it hit me as I typed that . . . and over and over again in the days since . . . that it really does take a village—and much grace from the Lord—to help us through difficult times.

It takes . . .

A small group who prays for you and texts you to let you know. A mom who sends encouraging emails. A husband who helps you clean the house at midnight because it's driving you crazy. An aunt, in from out-of-town, who understands that you only have a few hours to hang out. A cousin who texts you to ask how things are going. A best friend with a new baby who grants understanding and forgiveness for not coming by to meet the new baby yet. A friend who brings your favorite drink by when you're not going to leave work for 15 more hours. Another friend who bakes cupcakes for your whole office as a celebratory treat. A mom who drops a week's worth of lunches by the office and dinner (with vegetables) so you don't have to think about it. A husband who doesn't mind eating out one more time because you didn't make it home in time to get dinner on at a decent time. Family members who volunteer to help with a work project on a Friday night. Friends and family who respond "praying" to an "urgent, please pray" text message.

And all of this in just the last two weeks.

We are not a people meant for a solitary journey. We were made for community. And thankfully, the Lord has blessed us abundantly with a community of people who surround us all the time . . . even those times when it takes a village.

So . . . who's in your village? 

And more importantly, whose village are you in?