Latest / MIDDLE GROUND - Real Conversations on Faith, Identity & Becoming — Through Brynne's LDS Lens of Curiosity, Love and Doubt / I Said No to a Church Calling: Honoring Your Intuition, Avoiding Burnout, and Expanding Your Capacity to Serve - A Personal Reflection
Transcript
- Brynne Erickson (00:28) Many of you know that I have been serving in my church as a leader that oversees the girls age 12 to 18. It's titled the young women's leader. And I've been doing that the last two years, which has been a little bit crazy because I was pregnant the first nine months of that calling and then, ⁓ taking care of three boys, one of them being a newborn. and growing into a baby and it was a lot. And I just asked to be released from that calling back in November of 2025. And it was a awesome two years. I just had this thought that it was time to be done. And I explored that and talked about it with my husband and it felt really good. And of course I could have kept going. I could have kept pushing through. but I had kind of been doing that the entire time. I genuinely loved doing my calling. I loved hanging out with the girls, doing activities with them, having discussions with them on Sunday. They were constantly on my mind, but doing that and always having to figure out what to do with my kiddos was a lot. I couldn't just go to an activity. I couldn't just go to church. had to make sure I had babysitters lined up or I was loading up scooters and remote control cars and snacks and going to the activity and going back and forth between the gym and the and what the girls were doing and I could never just fully give them my time and same with that church like I usually had the baby with me and my husband and I he was he would in kind of in the same capacity working with the 12 to 13 year old boys so he was with the boys on Sunday and in the middle of the week and it was It was a lot. And you might ask, well, why didn't your husband get released so that he could watch the kids? Well, we had that discussion and he really loved working with young men and didn't just want to be the babysitter on Sundays and during the week. So we made it work and we figured out how to support each other and split up the kids. And it just was a lot all the time to make it happen. And we did it and we loved it for two years, but I honored my impressions and my thoughts and my feelings and I told my bishop that it was my time to be done. Which we had an awesome conversation when I got pregnant unexpectedly ⁓ at the beginning of my calling and he told me that he thought it was time for me to be done and I told him that I was actually really excited to keep going and he said the greatest thing. He was like, okay, just let me know how it's going and if you need to be released. And so when I had that thought that it was time, it was so nice to know that ⁓ my bishop was already on board with that. And I was really grateful for that. And so I was released and it was very bittersweet. I loved what I was doing, but I knew it was time to move on and I wasn't quite sure why, but I did know that I just know that I'm always willing to help. and give and support and love, because that's just the person that I am. I love getting people together. I love taking care of people. ⁓ So I was excited to see what the next thing was for me. And now here we are in February, so about four months later. And I've kind of been trying to figure out what is the next thing for me. Obviously I'm still in the thick of motherhood and little kids and That is a calling of its own, right? But I was asked to work in the primary not too long ago, which is where all the children are. And I felt so much resistance to that, which was very interesting. So I got curious about that resistance. And I wasn't quite sure what it was about other than it was there. And... I needed to say no to this calling. And thankfully my ward, my congregation has quite a few people. ⁓ In fact, we have enough people that they're trying to triple up teachers per each class of kids so that the teachers can take turns going to the adult's class or being in the primary. So I said no, but that I was willing to be a substitute. kind of a ward floater, if you will, where I was needed kind of on an on-call basis, but the thought of committing to something felt really overwhelming. And as I've been reflecting on that ⁓ recently, it's been interesting that my capacity to create my dream life coaching business, spiritually guided, life coaching business has enlarged and the effort that I'm able to put into this podcast and take care of people in a way that I want to ⁓ and the people that I want to is also ⁓ enlarging as well. And that has been really fun that as I stepped away from that calling that took a lot of time and energy and kind of put my focus on a specific group of people as I've passed them on to the next awesome leaders that are watching them. I have been able to enlarge in my capacity. And I was listening to a podcast today from the house of joy, which is awesome. highly recommend it. she was talking about how when we take care of ourselves, we actually enlarge our capacity to take care of others and I know that and I believe that with all my heart but it's always good to hear that reminder. I tend to be one that gives a lot of great advice but then ⁓ kind of forgets to take my own advice sometimes and it was just good to have that reminder today and I have felt that as I have honored what my heart and body and mind are telling me that I need. the more capacity I have to take care of other people and that is what I am all about. I find true joy in taking care of other people in simple ways. Like not even just not being a literal caretaker, but being aware of people and when someone comes to my mind ⁓ reaching out to them. whether it's in a phone call or a text and just saying, you came to my mind today. I'm not sure why, but I just wanted you to know that and I think you're awesome and I love you. And sometimes they respond back, sometimes they don't, sometimes it leads to deeper conversation. But I think everybody wants to be thought of in some way. It doesn't have to be a big way. But to me, being a disciple of Jesus Christ, is being open to... serving other people to being the hands that lift up and support in whatever way that is. And I love that. That is my mission in life and taking care of myself so that I can take care of others is where it all starts. So I hope there's something that resonated with you in this messaging. If anything, what's that one small thing that you're gonna do to take care of yourself today so that you can show up better tomorrow? Make it a great one.