We were never meant to do it alone

We weren't made to do life alone, but sometimes connection feels harder than ever, doesn't it? 

I've been thinking a lot about this topic of connection to others. What does it mean? How does it change throughout seasons? What makes good community? 

When I think back on my seasons of rich community, two seasons come to mind. 

The first was my college years — it really was such a peak time of life just like everyone said it would be. The second season was in 2021, when even in the midst of a global pandemic, I found deep connection in a little corner of the internet. We spent hours on Zoom calls and this app called Clubhouse where we basically hosted our own radio talk shows. 

In college, proximity made that season so sweet. Living on campus meant I was walking distance from my closest friends. We had countless chances to grab coffee, eat together, or just sit and talk. It wasn't just that we were in close proximity, but that we were also really honest and vulnerable about the growing pains, our faith questions, and all the awkward moments of figuring out who we were becoming. 

In the season of online community, availability and consistent connection were the glue. Most of us had more availability in our schedules than we'd had in years. We were walking through something hard and unfamiliar, yet somehow, those virtual rooms became sacred spaces. We showed up, week after week, with honesty and vulnerability. 

Two completely different seasons, one rooted in physical closeness, one through screens, but both taught me the same truth: there is something powerful that happens when you share with honesty and vulnerability. We were designed for it. 

God said in Genesis 2:18, "It is not good for man to be alone." So He created another human being, Eve. Think about that. Adam lived in unbroken connection with God Himself, and still God said that Adam needed another human being. 

God knows our hearts. He knows that we need connection to others to survive and sustain in this world. Human connection was part of His good design from the start.

So here are three questions I would offer to you about community: 

1. Do you have proximity to community? We live in a time where you don't have to share a zip code to share your life. However, there is something really important about getting in the same room with other humans. Our bodies were made for that kind of presence. 

2. Are you available for connection?  It's one thing to say you have community. It's another thing to actually prioritize it on your calendar. Real connection takes margin and intention.

3. Do you have space to be honest and vulnerable? If you can't be honest, you're not showing up as your full self. Is there something holding you back from being honest? Is this space safe enough for you to be your authentic self?

Whether your community is across the table, in a small group, or across the country, connection takes intention.

We were created for each other. We were created to remind one another that we are not alone in this story.  

Courtney Leo Alexander
Freedom Coach & Client Relations Manager