Tricia’s Story

I met my husband here in Houston about 14 years ago playing touch rugby. We were both super competitive, and we ended up getting married. We have three children now. They are 11, nine, and seven years old.

Over the last few weeks we’ve been involved in Fight for It. Pastor Robby reached out to us asking whether we’d be interested in leading a small group, and my initial reaction was a “no”, as I thought looking after the kids and working would be too much to handle at the same time.

Eventually, though, I realized there was probably a reason I was being asked to do this, so I let Pastor Robby know I was interested.

Even though you may be in a difficult season, it always helps to serve.

Through that, I’ve been able to connect with two other mothers, and it’s been such a wonderful way for us to get closer and to learn about serving. Sometimes it feels like I’m pouring from an empty cup, like I have nothing to give, but connecting with the other moms in the group has helped me realize that serving doesn’t necessarily mean being out there in the community serving insane hours of your time volunteering; it actually starts in your own home. Gratefulness, that you have the opportunity to serve your spouse and your family, is a blessing, and it’s helped me shift my mindset from “how will I get through the day” to “this is such a blessing that I’ve been given, that I get to serve my family.”

Since October we’ve met a lot of Afghan refugees through Houston Welcomes Refugees. My husband is always eager to serve, so together we’ve had the opportunity to help and meet a lot of these families who I now call friends and family.

It can be a struggle for me to find the energy to serve, but I’ve learned how much it’s helped me mentally, and it always gives me a fresh perspective on what’s worth fighting for and what to be grateful for.

What I would encourage you to think about as you too have these opportunities to serve is that, while you might feel overwhelmed, just start small. Look at the people around you, your roommate, your neighbor, your partner, your family. There’s always a need out there that may not be apparent, so start off small.

I would also encourage you to think about how even if you are yourself exhausted, or even though you may not have the capacity to help out strangers, it is always tremendously beneficial when you courageously stretch yourself and put yourself out there to help other people.

Even though you may be in a difficult season, it always helps to serve.

 

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