Polished North Dallas Chapter

“If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.” - Mother Teresa

If there’s one thing Mother Teresa is known for, it’s serving others, especially those on the margins. She did not judge others by their race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, abilities, age, or nationality—honestly, that sounds a lot like how Jesus lived. She seemed to understand that belonging is essential to humanity—for our peace and our flourishing. And she lived from a place of not just offering belonging to others but believing that we already belong to one another. What would our lives and work look like if we lived from a belief that we belong to one another?

This month, Polished is focusing on diversity and belonging. We believe that Jesus offers us belonging in God's family and that belonging does not mean uniformity. He doesn’t ignore our diversity; He celebrates and embraces it. In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul even explains that while we are one body, we have many parts. Each part has a unique role to play. And yet, too often in our culture, we reward one type of person over another. We are trained and expected to adapt to a mold of success, which may vary from industry to industry but often leaves little room for diversity and inclusion. Those who struggle to fill the set mold often struggle to find belonging, too. What if we lived differently? What if we focused on noticing the uniqueness of each person on our team – even if it doesn’t lend itself towards what’s culturally been defined as success?

Brené Brown posits that belonging begins with self-acceptance. She says, “True belonging is the spiritual practice of believing in and belonging to yourself so deeply that you can share your most authentic self with the world and find sacredness in both being a part of something and standing alone in the wilderness. True belonging doesn’t require you to change who you are; it requires you to be who you are.” It reminds us of Jesus’ commandment to love others as we love ourselves. Beginning with a full acceptance of ourselves – as God created us – we can then make way for others to belong, too.

Join us this month as we explore the depth of what it means to belong – to ourselves and one another. Then, let’s consider how to make diversity and belonging an essential element of workplace flourishing. It starts with us. Together, we can make belonging accessible in the workplace.

Mel Woodworth currently serves as a Vice President of Branch Operations for RBFCU in the DFW region. She has worked in finance for 22 years and her passion is mentorship and highlighting women in the workplace. She has a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Wayland Baptist University. In her personal life, she met her husband at the age of 16 in high school and they were married by 22. Their first child was born when they were 23, but soon after that they started to experience difficulties growing their family. In the coming years, they would lose 3 babies and experience 6 years of complete infertility. Just when they were ready to give up hope, God performed a miracle and gifted them with their son, nearly 12 years after their daughter was born. She tells her candid story in her personal memoir book Tiny Miracles and speaks about the subject of infertility and infant loss whenever she gets the chance. Her faith has carried her through every season of life. She will never stop talking about the miracles and blessings God has performed in her life.

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