It takes a village.

*When I sit down to write I try to think of who I can help. The more specific of an audience I write for, the more universal the help tends to be when I finish. I wrote this and a number of these early posts as part of a weekly newsletter I sent to two residence halls I manage at Anderson University named "Village and Kingsley." Much of these first posts will be for this dreamy yet fearful season of life. As it happens with seasons, though, they come back around. I hope something here helps you, too.*

“Well you know what they say… it takes a village…” said one of our beautiful friends over these last two weeks of transition to parenthood. 

I KNOW. How perfect it is to live in Village as we welcome our little Kingsley into the world. 

Our friend was right. It does take a village. This little human - though less than ten pounds - takes it all, and then some. Unable to do much more than breathe, sleep, and fill diapers on his own, the level of neediness is a burden greater than any one or two people can bear. It takes a collective effort, a network of love and provision woven together into a basket made for carrying. 

Carrying and being carried. Something we humans were made for. 

When God was making the world and noting all the “good” that he had made, he noticed one thing that was not good: for man to be alone. What’s interesting is that this God who made all of the universe and galaxies and stars that make them up didn’t fix this “not good” state by making man self-sufficient and able to meet all of his needs himself. Instead, he gives the human another human. 

It seems God thinks it’s good for it not to be good for man to be alone.

You need people. 

Truly - it takes a village! No one gets where they are going on their own. The village that is your family, your friends, your roommates, your classroom, your school, your church - a collective effort, a network of love and provision woven together into a basket made for carrying. This basket weaving God who knew from before your first breath that “apart from him you could do nothing” has day by day gifted you from his fullness, grace upon grace - people shaped extensions of His love who have carried you into who you are even until this very moment. Take stock, and let your mind be blown every so often by all the people who were exactly the right one at exactly the right time. Those people keep showing up on the journey - who might that person be for you today? Notice that gift. Receive. 

People need you. 

I Peter 4:10 says that we have all been given a gift, and that we’re to use it to serve others. That means you have something the rest of us lack without you. You’re a part of this village, a fiber in this basket made all the stronger when you step into your role. You may think all you have to offer is dirty diapers, but even baby Chance, who actually does only have dirty diapers (and buckets of cuteness) to offer, has gifted me with a deepening selflessness, maturity, and love. We need you and whatever you have to offer. As I Peter 4:10 goes on to say, God’s grace really is varied, and sometimes stinky. Who might you be the exact right person at the exact time for today? Notice that gift. Give. 

All of life takes a village. 

Carry and be carried, VK. It’s what you were made for.