When we give relational access to us, it should never lead to "less safety, less sanity, or less strengthening for the individuals in the relationship.

sometimes when you can't find your footing with your own faith, you just have to go stand on someone else's for a while.

meant to shove love away. Quite the opposite. We set boundaries so we know what to do when we very much want to love those around us really well without losing ourselves in the process. Good boundaries help us preserve the love within us even when some relationships become unsustainable and we must accept the reality of a goodbye.

No, it's not wrong to need people. But some of our biggest disappointments in life are the result of expectations we have of others that they can't ever possibly meet. That's when the desire to connect becomes an unrealistic need. Unrealistic neediness is actually greediness in disguise. It's saying, "My needs and desires deserve to tap into or possibly even deplete yours." This will never set a relationship up for success.

You better believe when I walk into a conference now, I look for someone sitting alone and make sure she knows she is noticed. When I ease the loneliness ache in others it is beautifully eased in me.

Or, "Most of the time when you open your mouth, make known the gospel. But if you're feeling really, really hurt, rally other people around your cause and make this other person look as bad as you can.

I was so caught up in the rush of superficial things in my world that I missed hearing the cries for help in someone else's world.

Understand that no time showing up and bringing compassion to another human is ever a waste of time. Rather, it's our chance to bring context, purpose, and meaning to all of life. Quiet moments of compassion are epic moments of battle.

I started to ask Him to bless others and prayed this verse of abundance over them. "And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work" (2 Corinthians 9:8). I asked Him to help others succeed. "Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others" (Philippians 2:4 ESV).

Together is a great way to press through something you're afraid could make you feel a bit undone.

And in that you will find the why. Why did this happen? Because there's someone else in the world who would drown in their own tears for not seeing yours.

I know the weight of carrying more than I should. And usually it's because I've refused to release something before taking on something else. If I want to choose a Best Yes, it's crucial I make room for it first. Otherwise, a Best Yes can quickly become a stressed yes. And a stressed yes is like snow on a tree that refuses to release its leaves. It causes cracks and breaks at our core.