In my last post, Recharge Your Summer with Serving, I looked at the opportunity to add new experiences and adventure to your summer through serving. While rest and relaxation are important to our wellbeing, the life-giving act of serving someone else is another way to recharge this summer. The summer is also a great time to try serving without making a long-term commitment.

The key is to take a step. What step? Well, ultimately that is up to you, but today I thought I would give you some ideas to help “get the ball rolling”.

Do yard work for someone else.

This is a pretty simple one. While helping someone with yard work might not feel as impactful as some ways of serving others, it can be very meaningful to the person you are serving. The reality is there are many people who are unable to care for their property due to their age, physical condition, a health issue, or some other challenge. This inability to keep up with their landscape can leave a person feeling defeated and somewhat hopeless.

This is why stepping in to help someone do what they wish they could do themselves can make such a difference. I have personally experienced the joy on someone’s face after a group of volunteers mowed their lawn, trimmed their bushes, and planted a few flowers. By taking a few hours to serve someone in this position, you are saying, “I see you and believe you matter”. Instead of feeling embarrassed and overlooked, they are encouraged and valued.

Volunteer at a community center.

Summer is a great time of freedom for school-age children. While this can be a great thing, it can also be a challenge for parents who are working multiple job, struggling to feed their families. Finding a safe, fun, and affordable place for their kids to spend time can be a challenge for all parents, especially those in impoverished communities.

Community centers provide an important service for families in this position. Whether in the summer or an after school program, community centers provide peace of mind to parents, and hope and encouragement to kids who really need it. Stepping to serve at a community center provides you with the opportunity be a part of it. Whether it is tutoring, playing sports, or just spending time with kids, you will be making a valuable investment in their lives.

Volunteer at a recovery program.

Recovery programs are engaged in the difficult work of helping someone find restoration following addiction. A powerful disease, addiction can leave a person completely hopeless, believing they are destined for a life of less than. Often at “rock bottom” when they enter a recovery program, a man or woman doing the hard work of moving beyond their addiction need people who believe in them to come alongside them.

From job placement training, mentorship, or spiritual investment just to name a few, volunteering at a recovery program can be life-changing for everyone involved. While it could lead to a long-term commitment, it can start small as you explore ways you could serve the recovery program and its participants. Your small commitment can play an important role in helping someone move from hopeless to hope-filled.

Go on a mission or aid trip.

Mission and aid trips require a little more time and commitment, but can be a great way to accelerate your serving. With local, domestic, and international trip opportunities, the mission trip options are endless. The same can be said about the focus of the trips.

In the end, I believe a good rule of thumb is to find a trip that supports ongoing work. The reality is there is only so much impact a person can have in a week-long mission trip. Even though this is true, mission trips can be a great encouragement to the people who are on the ground, engaged in the ongoing work. As someone who spent three years working and living in Nicaragua, the truth is serving and bringing hope to people living in communities struggling with hopelessness can be physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausting. Serving, and serving with, these staff members can help to recharge them as well as show you how meaningful a life of service can be.

Take a step.

I will end this post the same way I ended last post: the key is to take a step. It is easy to get “stuck” thinking about how you should and could serve instead of actually doing it. Often, it is in taking a first step toward serving that you identify the ways you can best use your gifts, experiences, interests, and resources to make a difference in this world. If you would like more clarity on how you can best use what you “bring to the table” to make a difference in someone else’s life, click here to download my free guide, 5 Foundational Steps to Make a True Difference in Someone’s Life. This can be a great resource to use while you are taking a step into serving.

These are only a few of many ways you can serve this summer and beyond. Let them act as inspiration for you to take your step. Don’t let this summer go by without taking a step into serving. You, and the world, will be better for it!

James Belt

​​Click here​ for more resources to help you bring hope to others!