POWER OF BELONGING

We Were Never Meant to Do Life Alone

T H E P O W E R O F B E L O N G I N G

From the beginning of time, humanity has struggled with identity and belonging. Adam and Eve, in their quest to be "all-knowing," gave away what they already had, the fullness of God’s image within them. The tragic irony? They were already created in His likeness, fully known and fully loved. Fast forward to today, and the same battle continues. We chase after identity in achievements, labels, and worldly expectations,

forgetting that everything we need is already inside us, placed there by God Himself. The Bible reminds us in Romans 12:6-8 and 1 Corinthians 12:4-12 that we have each been given unique gifts by God, designed to work together as one body. No one has to be good at everything because we were never meant to function alone. Yet, the world pushes a different narrative—be an "all-rounder," fix your weaknesses, and compete to be the best. But what if we did the opposite? What if we embraced who we were created to be and celebrated the strengths of others instead of feeling threatened by them?

The Struggle with Identity and Isolation Think about how we educate our children. A child who struggles with math but excels in English is often sent for extra math lessons to "fix" their weakness. What message does that send? "You are not enough." Confidence diminishes, and they start believing they are broken. But what if we nurtured their strength instead? What if we encouraged them to excel in what comes naturally? Imagine a world where we built each other up instead of forcing everyone to fit into the same mould. A world where we truly lived as one body, recognizing our need for each other.

In today’s society, we are more connected than ever yet more isolated than we have ever been. We compete instead of collaborate, compare instead of celebrate. Picture a campfire: when all the coals stay together, the fire burns brightly. But if one coal rolls away, it cools down and dies out. The same is true

for us, we were never meant to do life alone. Isolation leads to burnout, but community keeps us alive.

M Y O W N J O U R N E Y

Through Isolation

Romans 12:6-8 reminds us of this truth: God’s marvelous grace imparts to each one of us varying gifts... If your grace-gift is serving, then thrive in serving others well. If you have the grace-gift of teaching, then be actively teaching and training others... If you have the gift of leadership, be passionate about your leadership. And if you have the gift of showing compassion, then flourish in your cheerful display of compassion.

Word, through nature, and through His people. I realized that my husband was a gift, a tangible expression of God’s love for me. My children were my teachers, my joy. My friends were His hands and feet, there to hold me up when I had no strength left. And sometimes, those same friends were the ones to lovingly call me out, keeping me accountable when I was lost in my own story of self-preservation.

I learned this the hard way. Seven years ago, my family and I immigrated to a new country. Last year we visited my home country for the first time since leaving, reopening emotions I had buried deep. Then, the unthinkable happened, I lost my beloved father. My marriage was tested, home life became difficult, and I fell into survival mode. My coping mechanism? Shut the world out. I thought, "I’ll come back when I’m strong." But the longer I isolated myself, the more lost I became. Even God wasn’t allowed into my pain.

Until I couldn’t do it anymore. The pain was too deep. For six weeks, I cried every night, collapsing into the arms of my Heavenly Father. In that place of brokenness, I experienced His love in a way I never had before. It was as if I had stepped into the Holy of Holies, where I was fully seen, fully known, and fully loved. And in that sacred space, He showed me something profound, His love is expressed in three ways: through His

STEPPING INTO TRUE BELONNING

Belonging isn’t just about being around people—it’s about being truly seen and accepted for who you are. It’s about embracing your gifts and allowing others to bring theirs to the table. It’s about knowing that you are not alone, even in your weakest moments. If you’ve been living behind a glass wall, protecting yourself from pain, I invite you to step out. Life is not meant to be lived numb and disconnected. Yes, you will feel deep pain, but you will also experience joy like never before. You were made for connection, for belonging, for living fully in the identity God has given you. Let’s build a community where we speak life into each other, where no one has to struggle alone, where we celebrate the gifts in ourselves and in others. Because together, we shine. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. You are seen. You are known. You are loved. And you belong.