I Quit!

The pandemic brought changes in all of our lives.

For me, one of the most significant a 3 year lapse in my church attendance. In fact, I considered quitting all together.

And, this isn't the first time.

The first was 22 years ago as a young family. Nick was 4, Hannah 2, and I was pregnant with Riley. We’d just joined, yet didn’t feel like we belonged.

We were lucky enough to sponsor a family who had kids our same age. We became fast friends and spent a lot of time together.? Kris and her daughters are still part of our family today.

Together, Kris and I created “Parents with Young Children” at church, to give young families an opportunity socialize, network and learn together.

My parents always said I should be part of the solution instead of the problem. T

his was my solution. If it didn’t work within a year, we’d quit.

It was a huge success; we made great friends and cultivated a close community at our church.

Church became a core part of our life and we were extremely active.

As our kids got older, we turned over the leadership to others and became involved in other ways.

But changes in the past few years made us question if this was still the right church for us.

When the pandemic banned all nonessential gatherings, I pulled back even further and considered leaving.

But, that lesson about being part of the solution vs. the problem gnawed at me.

Instead of quitting, I was honest in answering a church survey in 2022 about my concerns. If they didn’t respond, I’d quit.

The church did respond. I was asked to be on a committee addressing the issues that troubled me. I joined and we’ve made great progress. ??

Last Sunday marked my first day back to church after three long years of absence.

It felt like coming home again. I reconnected with many old friends and met new folks.

It feels so good to be part of a community that is open to change vs. defending the status quo.

The bottom line? My mom and dad were right… again!

Being part of the solution vs. the problem feels really good.

Yet, there have been times where my efforts to be part of the solution were met with indifference or resistance to change. In those cases, I chose to walk away, content that I had tried to effect change and left feeling good about my choice.

This emphasizes that we don't have to stay unhappy and helpless in our situations. We can try to make things better, and if it doesn't work, we can choose to leave knowing we've taken initiative.

Our strength comes from taking action and not being satisfied with the status quo.

So, I'm curious, when have you tried to be part of the solution vs. the problem and what was the result? I'd love to hear your story!

Peace, Joy and Solutions,

Trish

Harmonize Coaching