AN 8-MINUTE CHALLENGE

Do you feel like life is so busy that you rarely have a few minutes to catch your breath? It seems like when we are young adults and launching out on our own, we are so busy making our mark and trying to have a successful career. Often, it takes extra hours to make a go of it. Many then settle into getting married and starting a family, which then becomes the top priority along with juggling work and activities as the children grow. Don’t we always hear retirees say they don’t know how they had time for anything when they were working? All that to say, isn’t it so easy to get too busy with activities and running places that we neglect what is most important, the value of relationships?

Despite the many pros of technology these days, like instant access to knowledge from the internet and a form of connection with people, I think there are also some cons. How many times do we see people walking around with their heads down, looking at their phones, too preoccupied to look up and say, “Hello?” How about at restaurants where families or even two people are all on their phones instead of talking to one another?

What if we strive to build relationships with people, specifically by talking to them in person or over the phone?

 

Photo courtesy of Tito & Eva Marie Balangue under Creative Commons License (CC BY 2.0)

 

I recently received an email with the subject line “Hi and an 8-minute challenge” from a sister-in-law that lives in the state of Washington. Truth be told with being so far away from each other and our busy lives, we rarely take time to keep in touch.

She explained, “Over the holidays, the New York Times ran a set of articles in their Wellness section about staying in touch with family and friends and suggested making 8-minute phone calls as a way to do this even while we are all so busy. I thought it was an interesting idea, so I am checking in to see if you want to give it a whirl. The idea is that we would find an 8-minute slot each month to connect.”

I thought it was a lovely idea, and four days later, we had our first 8-minute phone call that turned into 18 minutes. She alerted me when the eight minutes were up, and we decided we wanted to make it a little longer. It was life-giving to hear a physical voice and catch up on each other’s lives.

 

Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.  –Hebrews 10:24-25  (NLT)

This Scripture encourages us to connect with others through meeting together. If we are not physically able to meet with others because of distance or other circumstances, a phone call is the next best option! Talking with people versus sending a text message or email lends itself to hearing the tone of voice and allows for a more concise conversation and better understanding. Knowing what lies behind the stories we hear allows us to better motivate and encourage one another.  I believe that when we meet with others, it benefits us both. Fresh life is breathed into both people.

 

 

Are you willing to consider a form of this challenge?

How about reaching out to just ONE person to test it out?

*Can you think of one person you love–someone you miss or wish you connected with more often?

*Contact them to see if they would consider an 8-minute phone conversation or video chat, maybe once a month or whatever interval you decide on.

*Set a date and time for the first meeting, possibly sending them an electronic calendar invitation or marking your calendar the good, old-fashioned way.

 

Photo courtesy of Richard Dongses under Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

 

It seems like a good way to spread some more goodness and cheer into the world and the lives of others. We have the ability to brighten the day by connecting with others letting them know they are loved. Just think what a difference only 8 minutes out of 1,440 in one day, even if just once a month, can make!

Be encouraged this week to…

…make relationships a priority.

…reach out to one person for the 8-minute challenge.

…see how a short conversation can be heartfelt.

…share with someone how they have impacted your life.

 

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.  –1 Thessalonians 5:11  (NIV)