“We serve life not because it is broken but because it is holy.” –Mother Teresa.

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When I posted this as my status on Facebook today, I had to put a period after Teresa so Facebook would stop putting my name after Mother. It automatically inserts my name there since it is also Teresa. Just goes to show you that even though there are like a billion or more Facebook users, it still is a computer program. It is just a forum to connect to real people like me and you.

There are real people all around me. They don’t need me to fix them. They need me to love them and slog through the mud with them so they don’t get stuck. They need a friend who will come alongside them; one who reaches out to them not down to them. That friend can be me. That friend can be you.

I have a lot to learn from Mother Teresa; we all do. A tireless servant she saw even the most destitute individual as a child of the Creator and served them. She did so with the same love and care that a mother gives a child who is sick or in pain. Reaching down was not an option for her. Her arms would only extend in one direction: out.

What friends do you have who reach out instead of down? Just because someone is hurting or stuck in a place does not mean I need to solve their problems. It does mean I can hold their hand while they solve their problems.

I do not aspire to serve the destitute souls in India. But, I do aspire to serve the people in my life.

God, teach me to be a servant of your creation.

Teresa Shields Parker

Teresa Shields Parker is a Christian weight loss author, coach, podcaster, and speaker, who has lost 250 pounds and kept it off since 2013. Her books include: “Reconnecting Jayne: Her Sister’s Support,” “Rebuilding Jayne: Her Father’s Protection,”  “Sweet Grace: How I Lost 250 Pounds and Stopped Trying to Earn God’s Favor,” “Sweet Grace Study Guide,”  “Sweet Victory: Winning the Battle,” “Sweet Surrender: Breaking Strongholds,” “Sweet Journey to Transformation: Practical Steps to Lose Weight and Live Healthy”, “Sweet Freedom: Losing Weight and Keeping It Off With God’s Help,” “Sweet Freedom Study Guide,” “Sweet Change: True Stories of Transformation,” “Sweet Hunger: Developing an Appetite for God,” and “Sweet Excuses: Stop Lying to Yourself & Start Losing Weight.” She also offers Overcomers Christian Weight Loss Academy and VIP intensive coaching. Don’t miss her weekly podcast, Sweet Grace for Your Journey, where she shares tips from her personal journey of losing weight and discovering healthy living. Contact her at [email protected].