Don't go it alone... Partnering 101

I spent the weekend in Tampa and began looking for a place to call home. The flight was the typical one - long enough to nap and short enough to not have to crawl over the person next to you to make a visit to the restroom.

It was in my seat - about 22B on Southwest out of Indy - that I was reading one of my "recommended" books. The chapter was on partnering. No fault of the book's, I found myself wandering. How much do I allow "partnering" or "partnerships" happen in my life, let a lone my ministry. Not much or at least not enough, I thought for quite a while.

I realize I have neighbors, friends, family, and the church. I am supposed to be one of the most networked and partnered individuals in the world. Yet - I like my isolation. I like my independence. I like the lone ranger attitude too much. I have realized my weakness and have counted it as one of the areas I must challenge in my core.

No one should ever go it alone. But what do you do to a self-isolater? How do you change their patterns of separatism and individualism? Here are a couple of thoughts if you are like me and need an intervention of partnering.
1) Be encouraging: One of the reasons I have found myself on an island at times because I fear letting down and being real. It is often through encouragement where I begin to reveal the heart of my feelings and thoughts.
2) Give hugs: I really don't like to hug a lot, but there is power in the human touch. It is funny. The people I would like to hang with the most are often people who lead through appropriate touches - hugs, handshakes, a pat on the back, etc...
3) Ask questions: Some people don't like questions, but I do. I can tell what you've listened to and made priority in your time around me.
4) Balance space and time: Make a commitment to know me for more than a moment. Moments make impressions, but time makes an impact. I want to know people. I am thankful for people. (That is really why I am writing this blog article.)

No one should ever go it alone. I am thankful that I am not going it alone in Tampa. From the ministry organizations making this possible, to my friends in local communities helping in every way, and to the continuous friends and family who have stood by us in this endeavor, I am thankful - I, I mean, we are not going it alone.