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This is a quiet corner of the internet — a space for stories, reflections, and reminders that you don’t have to be perfect to be deeply loved. At The Rusted Sparrow, we embrace grace over hustle, rest over performance, and beauty in the rust. Whether you're weary, wondering, or simply looking for a softer place to land, you're welcome here.

Strong Enough to Ask

  • Writer: Brianne Thomas
    Brianne Thomas
  • Sep 1
  • 2 min read

The dashboard chimed and I eased onto the shoulder. Flat tire.

Traffic hummed by, hot air in my face, and—ridiculous but true—I kept thinking about the box of doughnuts in the back seat I’d been dreaming of sharing with the kids. After all this, they’d taste even sweeter.


This is my season: full-time job, two kids, animals who never stop eating, laundry that regenerates, and a brand-new youth group I’m helping launch at church. I can do a lot. I can’t do everything. I’m finally learning the difference.


I called my husband. He’d already made sure I was prepared—jack, tools, and a full-size spare in the trunk. We swapped the tire on the shoulder, he took the punctured one to the mechanic, and I drove away a little humbler and a lot more grateful.


It reminded me of another time I let people help me: when I was on medical leave and friends set up a meal train. I wasn’t looking my best (the house wasn’t either), and those dinners tasted like mercy. I used to be the young woman who tried to do everything herself. Truthfully, I still reach for that gear sometimes. But stepping into management at work has taught me what my grandmothers’ voices were hinting at all along: delegation isn’t weakness—it’s wisdom. I can’t do this without my team.


Here’s what I’m standing on right now:


  • Asking for help isn’t weakness. It’s wisdom.

  • Prepared doesn’t mean solo. Pack the spare and keep the mechanic’s number.

  • Community is built to carry weight. Let people do what they’re good at—then say thank you.

  • Delegation is leadership, not laziness. Share the load so the work—and the people—can breathe.



On the shoulder I prayed one short line my mom would approve of:

“Lord, I can’t do it all. Show me the part that’s mine.”


If today is heavy and your first instinct is to muscle through, try this instead:

Name one need. Ask one person. Receive the help without apology. Then pass it on when it’s your turn.


No medals for doing it alone—just loneliness. I’d rather be held. And yes, the doughnuts tasted amazing. 🍩


— Brianne

 
 
 

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