Believe Manifesto

At our house, we LOVE blackberries. Over the past five years Derick has slowly planted and cultivated about forty plants, so that when blackberry season arrives—we have berries a plenty. This year as I was picking berries I started to notice from a few feet away that there would be these HUGE berries hiding directly under a leaf. If I was standing up I couldn’t see that they were there at all. I had to crouch down and look under the surface to find those prize berries. I almost missed out by not looking under the surface.

Something I have learned recently is that getting under the surface in our friendships is so important. I honestly think that the world, social media, and our phones have us convinced that “being friends online” and sharing photos of our week is the same as having an actual relationship with a friend. I have believed this lie from time to time. But you all, that is exactly what it is—a lie.

We have to dig deep, get under the surface, and love our people.

I was talking with a friend a few months ago about togetherness and this applies just as much to our friendships. We have to be active in how we cultivate those relationships. A recent goal I have set for myself is to love my closest friends better by connecting with them more face to face and voice to voice. This means meeting for coffee, picking up the phone to catch up, or even just wrangling our kids and spending a day together. When we focus on doing this, we are able to connect with each other in a deeper way. We can hear the inflection in each other’s voices and maybe even pinpoint something that a friend is struggling with. We need that connection so that in a time of need, we are there and can be available to our friends. It is so worth it! When we make it a priority we have huge blessings in store just like those huge blackberries hidden under the leaf.