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youth worker, youth ministry, mentor

Uncomfortable

By Doug Franklin July 19, 2011

I had breakfast this morning with a friend of mine who is coming out of homelessness. He is fighting hard to keep his head above water and his family together. I can’t imagine what he is going through. Every time I am with him I just try to encourage him. I find that I can’t talk about the normal stuff I would talk to my other friends about because often I talk about material things and what cool place Angie and I are going to next. These things seem shallow and meaningless  when I am with my friend. Building relationships with people outside our comfort zone is hard and awkward. Jesus did it all the time and seemed at ease when he did it. I want to be like that, I want to build relationships with people outside of my world. My application from this morning was to change my whole communication style so I can be comfortable when I am building relationships with people outside of my normal comfort zone.

About the Author

Doug Franklin

Doug Franklin is the president of LeaderTreks, an innovative leadership development organization focusing on students and youth workers. Doug and his wife, Angie, live in West Chicago, Illinois. They don’t have any kids, but they have 2 dogs that think they are children. Diesel and Penelope are Weimaraners  who never leave their side. Doug grew up in…  Read More