HELP....It's Not a Bad Word!

So I went to Costa Rica last week with Drew and our juniors/seniors in our youth group.  I had gone when Addi was a junior back in 2014, and I loved every single minute of it.  The people were amazing and so full of love.  I wrote about it then here and here.  This time was a little different as some of the people were different and some of the things we did were different, but it was very much the same; because the Holy Spirit was ever so present.  One of the things that touched me the most was one day when we were in Quiriman.  We had visited a school there and done some Q&A with the high schoolers and then some VBS with the elementary kids.  It was a lot of fun, and our kids enjoyed it so so much.  The pastor of the local Methodist church was there too, Pastor Marlene. After we left the school, we went to the church she leads for a tour and lunch.  Some of the kids and Pastor Armando had been there the previous year, so they were amazed at all that had been done in a year's time.  I thought the church was beautiful....maybe one of the most beautiful parts of the trip.  As I watched her talk about her church and all that had been done, there was pride beaming from her face. It wasn't boastful pride but pride in what God had done there through all those who had been willing to follow His lead.  She was shining.  Even though she was proud of what had been done at their beautiful church, there was more to do.  She explained some of the needs, the cost and how they needed help to make it work.  I loved her honesty and willingness to ask for help, because she knew that her community couldn't do it all on their own; and she knew God would be glorified.  She knew that there are people who want to help her church, and she didn't let pride or discomfort get in the way.  I thought about that a lot over the next few days and how sometimes asking for help can be really really hard.  It use to be really hard for me.  I didn't want to be a burden or seem needy, but one day I relinquished that and began to be honest with myself in admitting I need help...a lot of times I need help.  It was when Bryna was born, 14 years ago, and I had 3 young children at home.  She was really sick when she was born and was in NICU for several days.  We couldn't take our other children to see her, because it was RSV season; so Neil and I would alternate times to go.  I had to go more than he for feeding purposes.  The nurses were amazing.  The other parents were amazing.  There were people bringing us meals and praying for us, but I still felt very alone from the minute they wheeled me into the NICU where the doctor said our baby was in very serious condition.  I remember going back to my room, and it was empty....no visitors, no flowers, no teddy bears.  It was the first time I had had a baby where only a few people visited, and there weren't a gazillion flower deliveries.  I had always been grateful for the visitors, flowers, etc.; but I had never really expected them but boy did I miss them.  It made the somber circumstance that much more somber.  One night I was driving myself to the NICU really really late, and I felt so so alone.  I really just wanted Neil with me, but we had 3 other children at home, the oldest being 6.  I remember staring at my sweet baby for what seemed like hours, I couldn't hold her, because she was intubated....only watch her.  When I got home, I decided I needed some help. I asked someone to come sit with my children just for a bit, so Neil and I could go see our baby together.  That time together gave me the strength I needed to continue on until she came home.  Her time there was short, and there were so many other babies who had been and would be there for months; but it was one of the most alone times I had felt in my entire life.  Realizing that I didn't need to do it all and could ask someone for help broke that stigma for me.  There are still times when I feel like a burden or too whiny or needy, so I keep a lot to myself; but usually God will have other plans and tell me reach out....it will bless someone to help you, and you will be blessed by their help.  As usual, He's spot on!