Do you have a proper support system in place?
Recently, I heard it said, “While we may not choose what we go through in life, we can choose WHO we go through it with.” This statement speaks to the all-important issue of establishing and maintaining vital connections with the right people. We all have many connections in our lives – family, friends, our neighborhoods, and work. And we certainly can’t leave out the connections we find in online communities.
With so much communication, you’d think our connections with other people would be strong and vibrant. However, this doesn’t seem to be the case. It turns out that despite having constant communication at our fingertips, people are lonelier than ever. Depression is at an all-time high, and lives riddled with anxiety and stress are rampant.
I love the quote by C.S. Lewis, “Friendship is born at the moment when one person says to another, ‘What, you too? I thought I was the only one.’” You were designed to be in relationships. This is why it is so vitally important to find and foster the right relationships – relationships with people who can stand beside us in our hard times and celebrate with us in our triumphs. This is a core value at East Coast Believers Church (ECBC). Sure, our church is God-centered, but the idea that connections with others are so important is actually HIS idea. The Bible teaches this in Ecclesiastes: “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back to back and conquer.”
Isolated is a dangerous place to be; we were never meant to walk through life lonely or alone. When we are alone, we can easily become overwhelmed or discouraged. We need others to help lighten our load. And while we can believe this to be true, at some point, we will need to take some steps to build good connections and establish relationships that will be a support system when we need it. I know we are busier than ever, but let’s make time to be the person we were created to be.
Some great steps to take with this in mind:
- Initiate meaningful relationships
- Cultivate the important relationships in your life
- Restore broken relationships
- Sever harmful relationships
At ECBC, we are doing life together, and we truly believe we are better together! Being connected in a local church is a wonderful place to start! I believe to not only survive but to thrive in such volatile times, we need a church home where we can find love, support and encouragement. In a church, we become part of a family – family where someone like you can belong.
ECBC was established more than 15 years ago in the Oviedo area. We started with a dream to spread the message of Christ’s love in Orlando and the surrounding areas. Through a season of prayer and seeking God’s direction, we are now expanding our reach into the Lake Nona area.
On Nov. 4 at 10:30 a.m., we will launch our satellite campus located at 3675 Boggy Creek Rd. (Tohopekaliga High School), serving the Lake Nona/Boggy Creek communities. You are invited to come and experience the difference a church family can make in your life. For more information, please visit eastcoastbelievers.org or follow us on social media @eastcoastbelievers.
