Take a moment and think about a close relationship in your life. It might be with a close friend, your spouse, or a relative. What characterizes that relationship?  

One deeply important part of every close relationship is trust. Trust is absolutely essential as we open our hearts and lives to those around us and place our vulnerabilities, fears, and insecurities into their hands. And if that trust is broken, the pain runs so, so deep, and we might even become afraid to trust other people.  

We are so thankful that you have chosen to join Link2Hope and we want to encourage you to take your role seriously, particularly in the area of trustworthiness. As you work with your family, remember that we all have stories that might make it harder to trust others, especially in new relationships, and that trust takes time to build. Just as you wouldn’t want to tell your deepest insecurities to a new acquaintance, others will not feel immediately safe to share those things with you, as well.  

Your path to trust will come with time and continued proof of your trustworthiness. Make a commitment to follow through on your promises. Don’t make promises you can’t keep. If you need to, set a reminder or put something in writing so that you and your family know what you will do – and then do it.  

Sometimes, your trustworthiness will come from other ways that you keep your word. If you don’t feel comfortable with something, be honest. Take time to think and pray about commitments when needed. It’s better to be steadfast in your words and actions than to appear inconsistent. 

Finally, consider what trustworthiness looks like in your speech. Though it may be tempting, be careful not to share your family’s story without their permission. They have placed trust in you to help them, but that doesn’t mean that their trust extends to your friends and family. The only exception to this may come if someone is in danger. We encourage you to speak with the Link2Hope team or a pastor if you are in doubt.