Hey there, Mama 🤎

I've probably shared before that I serve in different capacities in and outside of church, and in most of those spaces, I'm in a leadership role. Add to that the fact that I'm a counselor by profession, and like many of us, I pour out a lot.

I don't say that to be boastful. I say it to draw a picture for what I'm about to share.

I love serving in every capacity I'm in. Those communities matter to me. But in this season as a business owner, my heart has been going out to God with a desire to find community even outside of church, a place where I can be poured into.

Because community is so important. And understanding our need to be poured into is extremely important.

If you're in any place of leadership, maybe you relate. Sometimes you just want to be a member. Sometimes you want to sit in a space where no one knows the gifts on the inside of you. (Not that you'll be able to hide for long. LOL!) But you know what I mean. Sometimes you just want to be a member, not one of the leaders.

Anyways...

God has been answering that prayer. He's been giving me opportunities to connect with other women where we can simply sit together in His presence and allow Him to refresh us. Where I can sit amongst other women and watch them use their gifts to lead. And when someone begins to notice my potential and requests something of me, I've learned to pause and count the cost before stepping into a role that could leave me burned out.

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Devotion: We Were Never Meant to Be Refreshed Alone

Scripture

"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!"​
​— Ecclesiastes 4:9–10​

Two are better than one.

Not because one is incapable or unsuccessful. But because God created us in such a way that our toil is better when it's shared.

Mama, if you're naturally a giver, you might be the woman who knows how to encourage others when they fall. You're the strong friend, the one who shows up with the meal, the prayer, the wise word.

But have you ever thought about who lifts you up?

We all have times when we're running on empty. And even the strongest woman in the room needs someone to help her up.

Now let's look at how the early church lived this out.

In Acts 2:42–47, we see believers who devoted themselves to the teaching, the fellowship, the sharing of meals, and to prayer. They spent time together. They ate together. They prayed together. They shared what they had. Scripture says they did this with "glad and generous hearts", and the Lord added to their number day by day.

Notice something about that picture. Nobody was doing it alone or carrying everything. There was a table, fellowship, prayer, and there was gladness.

I don't think that's an accident. Being refreshed happened in the together. Sometimes we treat community like just another item on the to-do list: another meeting, obligation, or place where we have to show up and perform. But biblical community isn't meant to drain us. It's meant to restore and refresh us.

Community is a place where you can sit at the table and be fed, instead of always being the one serving the meal. And here's something else I've learned. Being in community doesn't mean you have to take on a role in every room you walk into. When someone notices your gifts and asks something of you, it's okay to pause. It's okay to pray. It's okay to count the cost before saying yes.

Engaging with wisdom isn't selfish. It's stewardship.

Sometimes the most faithful thing you can do is sit down, receive, and let God refresh you through the women He's placed around you.

You were never designed to pour from an empty cup. And you were never meant to fill it alone.

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Take a Moment to Reflect

Take a moment to reflect:

Ask yourself:

• Who is pouring into me right now, and if the answer is no one, what might God be inviting me to do about it?
• Is there a space in my life where I can simply be a member, and not the leader, so I can receive?
• Am I saying yes to roles out of obligation? What would it look like to pause and count the cost before I commit?
• Who in my life is a "sharpening" kind of friend, and how can I be intentional about spending time with her?

Pray: Lord, thank you for community. In areas of my life where I have been surviving in isolation, bring me people who I can trust to pour into me and encourage me when I'm weak. And give me wisdom in moments I need to pour into them. In Jesus name. Amen

Mama, Who Is Pouring Into You? The Power of Community for Burnt-Out Christian Working Moms Discover why community isn't optional but essential for burnt-out Christian working moms who need refreshment, accountability, and connection. Read the full blog here.

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Mom Tips: For Engaging in Community

🤎Ask God to lead you to your people. Pray specifically for the kind of community you need, and be open to it looking different than you expected.

🤎Look for a space where you can just receive, whether that's a women's gathering, a small group, a prayer circle, or a coffee date with one intentional friend.

🤎Before you say yes to a new role, pause and count the cost. Ask, "Will this fill me or drain me?" and "Is this what God is asking of me, or just what someone else is hoping for?"

🤎Be the kind of friend who asks, "How are you really doing?" and then stays long enough to hear the answer.

🤎Schedule community the way you schedule everything else. If it's not on the calendar, the busy season of motherhood will quietly push it off.

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Faith-Filled Affirmation For the Week

"Today I choose community over isolation. I was created to give, and I was also created to receive. God is refreshing me through the people He has placed in my life, and I am free to rest, to be poured into, and to sit at the table. I don't have to carry everything alone."

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Closing Encouragement

Remember, you don't always have to be the strong. It's ok to want moments within a community where you are filled instead of pouring.

You don't have to lead every group, say yes to every request, or pour from a cup that's running dry.

There is a table set for you, and there are women God is bringing your way who will sit beside you, pray with you, sharpen you, and remind you that you're not alone.

This week, I pray you'll find a place to rest, a friend to lean on, and the grace to let someone else lift you up.

With love and encouragement,
Karen 🤎

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Online Communities for Christian Women

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More ways to connect with Karen :

🤎Follow me on my private practice Instagram or TikTok​

Additional Resources:

🤎Check out the Restored & Renewed Course where I'm featured as an instructor along with my Wellness Coach, Janetta Olaseni RN, HN-BC, CHHP, CHC, CCM, and other Christian women & moms.

🤎Are you a to-do list girl? Check out this Daily CHECK list to track your wins!