Redheaded Jill

An introverts worst nightmare… talking to strangers. In particular, approaching their house (uninvited) to ask them a question.

It was a normal Sunday evening. I had arrived at the church building a few moments early and was visiting the ladies room. My friend was also in there and she said, “Hey! They need someone to help with something. Interested?” I said, “Sure” and followed her to the office.

In the office I was told they needed someone to help with door knocking. I was trying to politely decline, but was told, “We need another girl to go, we want each team to have a guy and girl. People are more receptive when it’s not two men coming to the door.”

So I was added to a team and took “Welcome” bags to four houses to invite families new to the neighborhood to church.

I don’t mind helping with things, but I didn’t plan on doing any talking. It was awkward, but nobody slammed the door in our face so that was good. And we successfully invited three families with little kids to our upcoming VBS.

This was a humbling moment because I NEVER answer my phone, or the door, when a stranger calls. I dread the couple times a year that Jehovah’s Witnesses come to our door, even though they’re always perfectly polite. It was also humbling because I awkwardly spoke to a couple ring doorbells and my cohort didn’t understand what I was doing. Hahaha

It showed me I can do hard things and reminded me of the days when I worked in customer service and had to paint a smile on, even when I really didn’t want to, and greet people. I wish I had been more prepared. I would have brushed up on the Vanessa Van Edwards recommendations on being a more competent and approachable person. But if I had been given more than one minute of a heads up I likely would have come up with an excuse to NOT do it.

Now I will need 4-5 business days to recover.

: )