Lately, I've been thinking a lot about community.
Recently, someone in my family walked through a terrifying and difficult season. As we navigated those days, I watched something beautiful unfold. Friends, neighbors, church members, and people we hadn't heard from in years began reaching out. Meals appeared on their porch. Text messages arrived at just the right time. People prayed, checked in, offered rides, cared for children, and simply showed up.
It reminded me just how incredibly rich we can be in community. It also reminded me that not everyone experiences this.
As I reflected on it, I found myself praying that every family would know what it feels like to be surrounded by people who care. Because while community can be one of God's greatest gifts, isolation can be one of life's heaviest burdens.
At Alongside Families, we see this reality every day. So many of the families we serve don't lack resilience or love for their children, they simply lack people. Often, what begins to change a family's story isn't just a resource. It's a relationship.
The same week of my family's crisis, I read a recent Axios Charlotte article highlighting more than 30 ways people are building friendships across our city from volunteer opportunities and book clubs to run clubs, hobby groups, sports leagues, and community events.
What stood out to me wasn't the list itself, but the reminder that meaningful community is usually built through consistent presence, not perfect circumstances. We don't have to find the perfect people or wait for the perfect season. We simply have to keep showing up.
Here are three simple reminders I've been carrying with me lately:
1. Be the one who takes the initiative.
One of the biggest barriers to friendship is waiting for someone else to make the first move.
Instead, be the one who reaches out.
Don't underestimate how meaningful a simple invitation can be. Someone else may be hoping for the very invitation you're hesitant to extend.
2. Choose consistency over convenience.
Deep relationships are rarely built through one-time events. They grow through ordinary moments shared over time.
Whether it's committing to attend a church, joining a small group, taking an online class or joining a group, serving on a ministry team, volunteering in the community, joining a free fitness class, gathering with a neighbor, or simply making a habit of calling one friend each week - keep showing up.
3. Assume your presence is a gift.
This may have been my favorite reminder.
Many of us leave conversations replaying everything we wish we had said differently. We wonder if we talked too much, weren't interesting enough, or somehow inconvenienced the other person.
More often than not, the other person simply enjoyed being with you.
Don't let insecurity keep you from reaching out again. Assume your presence is welcomed, not tolerated. You don't have to be the funniest, smartest, or most interesting person in the room to be someone others enjoy spending time with.
I don't know what season you're in today. Maybe you feel deeply connected, or maybe you've been feeling more isolated than you'd like to admit.
My prayer is that we would all become the kinds of people who build the communities we long for - not only for ourselves, but for our neighbors, our churches, and especially for families who need to know they don't have to walk alone.
Who can you encourage, invite, or connect with this week?
You never know how God might use one simple act of presence to remind someone they are not alone.