You should come with us!

Over a decade later, I can say with certainty those five words changed my life.

I remember exactly where I was. It was August in the Chicago suburbs. I was walking back to work after lunch, down a concrete sidewalk when the oak leaves turn deep green from a summer of sun.

My friend Gabe was walking next to me, enthusiastically telling me about a missions trip he would be leading to Russia that December. There were about 15 other people going, and they would be working with some elderly widows. Suddenly, he paused the narrative and said excitedly, “It’s going to be great. You should come with us!”

I was just a teenager. I had never been out of the country. I didn’t know anything about working with elderly widows. I was a little nervous about traveling to Russia for three weeks over Christmas. But Gabe had been there before! In his invite: “You should come with us!”, a seed was planted in my mind that expanded my horizon and made me feel welcomed.

That invitation grew into my first international trip. I didn’t know anything about working with widows, but it turns out I didn’t have to; I could learn. I learned about navigating layovers and customs in foreign airports, about traveling through subzero streets, and how my new Russian friends lived.

The confidence I gained on that trip gave me a willingness to take other risks. Those led to new opportunities, more traveling, and eventually to leading international trips for others. But it was Gabe’s invite that got me started thinking about it all.

Very little happens in the world without invitations. From job offers to party invites to dinner plans to business startups, invitations are the way other people join the cause.

An invitation is just you taking a risk, asking a question, and inviting someone else to join you in your world. Most of the people in the world are not assertive, and they’re waiting for someone to cast vision over what could be.

Inviting is hard because we risk rejection if our friends say no. Or if they say yes, we may become the instant group leader and everyone will be looking at us for what to do next.

Still, inviting is worth the risk. It only takes a little more time to do it with someone else. Inviting can be as simple as:

• We would really like to have you help us with …
• This sounds crazy, but would you be interested in …
• We’re always looking for more people to …
• No pressure, but you’d be welcome to join us for …
• I noticed your work in __ area …
• Some friends and I are working on a side project…
• We’re working on a project and trying to find someone who…
• If you had any interest, you’d be more than welcome to…
• Have you ever thought of…?

There are people all over waiting to be asked to join a cause, to come with you, to invest in a project with you. They’re waiting for you to envision a future that includes them.

Start inviting!