reaching out.

i talked to her.
my neighbor.

i mean we had talked before like i said in my previous post. but never really talked, talked.

yesterday, my kids and i went for our daily walk around our neighborhood and she was out there with her babies. we exchanged words on the weather and her son came walking with us.

after monday's post and all of the encouragement i received from so many of you, i began to come up with ideas to invite her over and become friends.
yesterday i was reminded that moments ordained by God don't need fancy or planned moves. He sets it all up.

coming back from our walk, i don't even remember what i said to her, something about if she ever needed help with anything she could always ask me and then, just then, her whole life story spilled out.
three hours we were talking. three hours. when all i've ever exchanged with her are a few words.

her story... is heart breakening. i mean just thinking about everything she said to me had me in tears and as i type this i'm still in tears.
it's her story so i won't go into details of course, but this woman has been crying out for someone to talk to. someone to receive encouragement from. when i hugged her, she wouldn't let go.

it really goes to show everyone is fighting a hard battle and we don't even know it. or maybe we do, but become oblivious to it as to not interrupt our comfort zone. to not interrupt the bubble we have made up for ourselves that we would just focus on our own thing.
yesterday i had planned to get my blog design spiffied up, i had planned to finish laundry and get some pictures in of new goodies for the shop, though the way God changed my day completely around couldn't have been better.

it's a good thing when our world is moved around to welcome in new things. it's a good thing.

my neighbor.

i have this neighbor.

her kids and mine are relatively the same age, and from day one they've hit it off. they play together almost everyday and of course go to the same school together.

she and i have had some conversations outside while the kids play, but never really deep enough. just the casual. how are the kids, this weather is great, just scratching the surface.

i do remember one of the first conversations we had, she opened up to me and honestly caught me off guard. this woman whom i hadn't really engaged with opened up about her life. and at that point, i was only able to offer a few words of encouragement. and that was that.

since then, which easily was about three or four years ago, our acquaintance has not become anything else but that. until recently, i have felt a nudge to reach out to her. to get to know her. her story.

but i'm a little hesitant. not because i don't want to, i'm not sure how.

see, i've never really been good at putting myself out there. i've always been comfortable behind my front door. minding my own business. and so i think?

what if it gets messy? what if some boundaries are crossed? i mean, we live right next to each other for crying out loud! what if something doesn't go right?

but then....

what if it does? what if we find in each other encouragement, someone to lend out a helping hand to?
what if we find a new friend that we can trust?
what if i am able through that share my testimony and my story and listen to hers more?

i'm a little scared. i know it sounds silly, when i'm just offering friendship. but to this introvert, it's a whole new step. yet i'm reminded that this year i was led to choose the word selfless, and in this situation, i need to see beyond my uncomfort and step out into something new, knowing God will be leading me.

how do you usually try to connect with new women or new friends?