What is community to you?

Is it neighbors who show up for one another?
A cup of sugar shared when someone asks?
School events where all children are welcomed?
Cheering the wins and mourning the losses together within a town or neighborhood?

Or is community only found among those who think, worship, look, or live as we do?

Growing up, I can’t recall ever having neighbors who were much like me. There were people who thought, believed, and lived as my family did, but they were scattered far and wide. I suspect that’s true for most of us.

When we look back, community has almost always been made up of people who are quite different from one another. That difference is not a weakness. It’s the strength.

A strong community makes room for differences.
A strong community knows how to talk together rather than fight one another, understanding there is more than one side to every story.
A strong community recognizes that everyone has something to give and that everyone plays a part.
A strong community cares for its most vulnerable and is strengthened by leadership that thinks beyond itself.

A strong community undergirds its people and, in turn, makes each of us stronger.

-What does community look like where you live, and how are you choosing to show up within it?

As I look toward 2026, it’s on my heart to do my part.

My wordless picture book, The Flower Man, carries this very message. It’s about noticing one another, choosing kindness, and remembering that we belong to something larger than ourselves. Sharing this story with schools, businesses, and communities feels like meaningful and hopeful work for the year ahead.

If you’d like me to come into your community, your school, or your organization, I’d love to connect. Just reach out.

Learn more about my SPEAKING here.