Volunteering: How Taking a Risk is Good for Everyone
Posted on Wednesday, July 20, 2016 by
By Rachel Oliver
When I was asked to step in and lead the Bible study at the last minute, I could feel my heart beat quicken and my skin perspire. It would have been easy to say, “sorry no.” After all, I was being asked to step in with no preparation (it was the first meeting so I didn’t even have a book to look through) and lead a group I didn’t know yet. But if I said no they’d have to cancel, throwing the summer study off track before it had even gotten underway. “Yes, I can do it.”
Sometimes volunteering is easy, when it comes to things that we enjoy or that require little commitment. Other times we have to step out of our comfort zone – take a risk – and say yes to something that makes us uncomfortable or is a greater obligation.
While there are times we need to say “no,” many times the right answer is “Yes!”
Risk being a volunteer to:
- Give back – I’ve been on the receiving end of the many sacrifices volunteers make from being led and encouraged in my faith in Sunday school and youth group to having friends open up their homes for Bible study and small group. I’ve experienced the benefit firsthand and am ready to shower it on to someone else.
- Be a part of something bigger than yourself – In our overly “connected” world, it’s easy to feel disconnected and out on your own. When you volunteer you become a part of something bigger than any one individual. You become part of a group working towards a common goal.
- Learn new skills and experience new things – When you volunteer (especially doing something that has you pushing the limits of what you’re used to) learning and growing comes naturally. While you help others, you are given the opportunity to overcome your own fears and experience exciting, new things.
Take a risk and volunteer! You might just find out that you can handle most anything, even leading a Bible study at the last minute.
Looking for a place to volunteer? Get involved with Denver Area YFC to be a part of impacting young lives for Jesus in our community!