This past week someone very close to James and I almost died. God miraculously healed them and I’m so thankful beyond words. While I was praying for healing, all I could think about was everything this person and their spouse has done for James and I. Not many people have invested in us like they have. They’ve poured into our lives, encouraged every step we took and supported every opportunity we were given. My life has been shaped, molded, and changed because of them. As messages were flooding in on social media for healing, others were sharing the same feelings. So it got me thinking… who are you investing in?
I’ve learned the value of investing in people because some amazing people have invested in me. There are many aspects of who I am today because of people taking the time to get to know me, pray with me, correct me, challenge me, and care deeply about my potential and future.
Matthew 28:19-20 says, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
There is a command on our Christian life to pour into the lives of others. To invest time into them so as they grow- they grow deep into Jesus, then in return will go out and invest in others.
My life would have been altered had our friend not been healed. There aren’t many people who’ve been there for James and I the same way they’ve been. Everything about how James and I build relationships with people is because of this couple. They taught us how to dig deep, encourage, and support others. They taught James and me how to treat one another and how to parent. They’ve walked through the lowest of lows and highest of highs with us. It saddens me to think that people don’t have deep relationships and don’t have that person who speaks into their life. God moves mightily in your life through others and if you’ve never had this, you simply don’t know what you’re missing.
So, who are you investing in?
Investing in someone takes time, energy, and the ability to see the good and the God-given talents about everything else. It requires learning deeply about someone over a long period of time. And trust needs to be a foundation in the relationship which means you have to consistently prove you’re trustworthy. You need to find space on your calendar regularly and do it with a joyful heart.
Invite people over and share a meal with them. Learn about their past, present, struggles, and dreams. Actually, care about those things. Invite people to be apart of your life regularly so your relationship with them grows deeper.
We can get so caught up in our own lives and fulfill all of our personal desires that we totally lose sight of the people around us. The truth of the matter is, everything is not about you. It’s a hard pill to swallow, but there is great purpose when you realize there are people around you that you can invest in and help bring out their best. There is fulfillment in knowing you can actually be apart of someone else’s dreams and future.
Who is investing in you?
Isolation is appealing because it seems comfortable, easier, and feels “safe.” At least at first, it does. There are no confrontations, no conversations, and no having to process what you’re walking through or decisions you’re making. It can be uncomfortable allowing someone close because you’re giving them the opportunity to see all your junk. But, it’s never easy to live life alone in the long run. You never go far alone because we all need the wisdom, encouragement, mentorship, and strength of others.
Purposely plant yourself in a community. It doesn’t matter where you live or what you have going on, being planted into a community where you’re allowing someone to pour into you is for all seasons of life. There is someone who is capable and willing to pray with you, walk beside you, and encourage you to become who God has called you to be.
If you are struggling with this today, don’t run or hide. Stay planted, dig deep.
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As you know, I have a Word Of The Year and this year’s word is Walking In His Promises. I want to invite you on this journey and pray that 2018 will be a year of Walking In His Promises!
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So beautifully stated, Heather. It’s not easy to be the investor, but it is one of the most treasured parts of my life. Thanks for the reminder and the encouragement today.
You are a great investor Lori! Don’t ever forget that!
“I’ve learned the value of investing in people because some amazing people have invested in me.” I love these words and your post!
Thank you joy!
I really enjoyed this post. I loved this quote which I tweeted: “There is a command on our Christian life to pour into the lives of others.”
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for tweeting 🙂
This is a great reminder for me today, thank you!
You’re welcome, Mary!
Love this! I agree that community is so important. It creates accountability and a “safe haven” of sorts. Having people support you and you support them makes dealing with life’s challenges so much easier. Thanks for sharing!
You’re right, accountability is a key factor!
Love this! I’ve been thinking about this idea recently because I don’t have a ton of girlfriends or other young wives that I can really talk to, so God has been putting it on my heart to be more vulnerable and make more connections at church. Thanks for the extra motivation! 😉
You’re welcome! Praying for godly friendship and mentor ship in your life 🙂
Wow! Thank you for This! 🙂 So many times Ive had people invest and then give up. Once God sent me my spiritual mother she never gave up even when I was being a little snot!
Praise God for laying this on your heart. It really got me thinking about WHO am I investing in?!
Xo Jess
That’s wonderful to have a spiritual mother who has never given up on you! What a blessing!
Beautifully said. The hubby and I invest in a lot of people but recently we started noticing that we don’t get the same return on investment. It’s good to invest, and we do it without asking anything in return, but it does run the tank dry when it doesn’t come back. So 2018 is the year we get rid of the users.
How wonderful to have a spiritual mother who has never given up on you. That is a true blessing!
What a great read, experiences and people are always worth so much more then things.
Amen!
I love this post so so much! I always tend to forget about people around me and I really need to put more time and thought into it! Great ideas 🙂
Thanks, and yes it is so easy to forget those around us!
Yes! This! This is something I’ve been trying to really focus on for the last little bit. Thanks for the encouragement!!
That’s awesome to hear! Praying for you while you pour into others!
I’ll be honest, I really struggle to invest in people. It’s hard for me because I’ve been really hurt by people when I build relationships with them. I’ve don’t want to be hurt anymore. I go through phases where I’m fine for a few months, then I feel like it’s good for me to try to make friends. Then, I go through my depressive anxious phase and I am a homebody and want to stay away from everyone.
We’ve personally been blessed by our local church leadership who took the time to invest in our family. Once they were released from leadership, they still invest in us. I’m certainly not saying that it’s a bad thing to invest in others, just saying it’s really hard for me.
Thank you for your honesty and transparency. I understand how you feel. I definitely went through a phase where I pulled away because I was so hurt. It’s hard to get back into it, but being prayerful about who to invest in and who to get close to will give you great discernment and save you from a lot of hurt. People will still be people and fail you and make mistakes but I’ve learned having discernment saves from a lot of unnecessary hurt. Praying with you sister!
This is so great! We also went through something similar and God miraculously healed my friend who studied the bible with me. She and her husband had me in their home, they met me stay the night, have dinner with them and be a part of their family. Then they help Mark and I during our saying relationship by giving us tons of advice and accountability to help us in our purity during that time and so much more. They were in our wedding and have just been such an inspiration to us. God is amazing and he did design for us to connect with other people. I recently moved so I’ve invited some moms that I’ve just met to come over for a bible study. I’m hoping to build godly relationships here and find deep connections. Sorry for such a long comment Haha this just meant a lot to me. Thinking about my friend ❤️
I love this! Thank you for such a long comment haha 🙂
I’m so blessed to hear how you’ve been blessed by someone investing so much into you. You are very blessed!
One day I’m sure you will be able to do the same for someone else.
This post is SO GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!! This is so important for all of us to live a life of loving others and loving them like Jesus does!!!
xo,
Angelle
http://www.dashingdarlin.com
Amen!
I love this. It’s important to think about others as well as yourself. Such a great thing to remember this year!
Thank you!