Going VS Belonging

So I'm sitting here at the Cambridge Mill on a short break at our Gideons / ShareWord Global staff day away and I had to get this message out there. 

Our president just shared a morning message of challenge and encouragement to our staff. 

It boils down to this: GOING versus BELONGING. There's is a huge difference, and whichever one is active in your life will determine your experience in life. 

Just "GOING" to work, to church, to family events, to volunteering, and so on: you are excluding yourself from the richness of experience, connectedness, fullness and fruitfulness that you experience when you intentionally BELONG.

BELONG to work, to church, to family events, to volunteering, and so on. The difference is taking personal ownership and it's focusing on intentional and pure life-giving relationships with the people around you. 

Are you going, or belonging? 

I challenge you, as I have been challenged, to BELONG. 

When we allow ourselves to belong, our attitudes shift, our energies and passions increase, all of a sudden it's OUR community, OUR successes, OUR impact, OUR opportunity... We start to REALLY care.

Dive in today and BELONG. 

A lot of times we think other people determine our belonging. "Oh, well they don't include me, they don't make me feel welcome..." so we isolate ourselves and use other peoples behaviours as an excuse. 

No.

Belonging is up to you. You can belong. Connect yourself, take initiative, get involved, invest your time and energy and presence. You will belong. And consequently, you will lead others to belong, building community, intentional purpose, energy, and a fullness of life wherever you are. 

Thank Peter Marshall, for being the incredible leader you are, and thank you for inspiring this blog post. 

Ash