The Power Of Belonging

As we build and mentor Young Lions, we often say that belonging is the first step to becoming a lion. Once you belong—once you feel safe, seen, and part of the pride / team / family — you can grow in belief. And after belief takes root, you can become all that you were made to be. Belonging is the soft soil where everything else grows.

A few weeks ago, I was back in Zambia with our team and the young people we are loving and serving in Chifubu. I was thrilled to hear, even before I landed, that many of our littlest lions had started running. Some of them are as young as six years old!

I assumed they were just running laps around the soccer pitch near our children’s ministry base. But when I got there, I found out they had been running the full Chifubu Loop, a 5 km (3 mile) distance!

I couldn’t believe it! When you look at these little ones, you wouldn’t expect them to be able to pull that off. On my first day there, I told everyone I was going to run with the little lions. We suited up and set off together. It was definitely wilder and louder and slower than most of my runs.  There was, without a doubt, a herding catselement, and it required full focus just to keep them safe and out of traffic, but they never complained. They ran hard and finished strong.

One of our youngest lions, Charity, ran right beside me the entire time. I tried to imagine how many of her tiny steps equaled one of mine, but she never slowed down. Why? Because she wanted to belong. She wanted to be part of this team badly enough that she counted the cost and paid it — joyfully.

That’s a powerful thing for a six-year-old to do.

And that’s the power of belonging. When you find your tribe, you’ll do things you never thought possible. Belonging lifts us. It multiplies our courage. It draws out the best in us and shapes us into more than we could ever become alone.

So I encourage you: find your people. If it’s a workout group—show up early, don’t miss a gym day. If it’s a running team—get your miles in. If it’s a small group or a Bible study—be faithful, contribute, and add value. Belonging doesn’t just make you part of the group.  It makes you more of who you were meant to be.  More of a lion!