“I have served. I will be of service.”
It’s a simple statement, really. And yet, it carries with it a weight that can’t be captured by just looking at the words on a page. It’s the kind of thing you can feel in your bones, something that resonates deep within you when you’ve been through enough to understand what it truly means to serve. But let’s back up a little bit because this isn’t just about military service or volunteering at your local shelter (though those are noble paths). This is about something bigger. It’s about a mindset, a way of life.
To serve is to give, but it’s not just about giving in the expected, polished ways that people like to promote on Instagram. It’s about showing up when it matters when no one else will. It’s about understanding that sometimes the service you provide has no applause, no recognition, and often no reward. Sometimes it’s downright thankless. But you do it anyway because that’s what’s required of you.
I’ve worn many hats in my life, but they all seem to have one common thread: service. Some of it was chosen; other times, it was thrust upon me, but the point is, I was there, and I did what I had to do. It wasn’t always pretty. In fact, most of the time, it wasn’t. But that’s the reality of it, isn’t it? At its core, service is about sacrifice, which is rarely glamorous.
I didn’t always understand that. For a long time, I thought service was just something you did because it was expected or because it was what society deemed “good.” It was transactional in a way. But life has a funny way of schooling you on what things really mean, and I’ve had more than my share of hard lessons.
What I’ve learned is that serving others—truly serving others—is about surrender. It’s about surrendering your ego, your comfort, and sometimes even your plans. You give up what you think your life is supposed to look like and instead focus on what’s right in front of you. Sometimes, that means being there for a friend in the dead of night when the rest of the world is sleeping. Sometimes, it’s pulling yourself out of your own dark hole so that you can help someone else out of theirs.
It’s easy to talk about service in an abstract sense, but in my experience, it’s the gritty, uncomfortable, real moments that matter. It’s not about saving the world or making some grand gesture. It’s about the day-to-day grind, the small moments where you choose to show up for someone else, even when you have every reason not to. It’s about having someone’s back, no matter what.
Take addiction, for example. I’ve been there. I know what it’s like to hit rock bottom and not even realize you’re there until you try to claw your way out. And when I finally did get out, when I finally found my way to sobriety, it wasn’t just for me. Sure, I wanted to save myself, but more than that, I realized that I had a responsibility to others who were still stuck in that same hell. That’s service. It’s the kind that doesn’t end. Once you’ve been to the bottom, you’re never really done. You carry that with you, and you use it to help someone else find their way out. That’s the deal.
That’s why I started creating the content I do and working towards one day having a career where I can help others overcome adversity full-time. Not because I have all the answers but because I know what it was like to be lost. And if I can help just one person avoid some of the pain I went through, then it is worth it. But it’s not just about addiction; it’s about life in general. It’s about taking what you’ve been given—the good, the bad, and the ugly—and using it to serve others. We’ve all got our scars, our battle wounds, but those don’t make us weak. They make us more capable of understanding, empathizing, and connecting.
Because that’s really what service is about—connection. You don’t serve people from a distance. You get down in the dirt with them. You listen, you care, you understand. It’s not about throwing money at a problem or writing a check to a charity. It’s about being there. Physically. Mentally. Emotionally. It’s about looking someone in the eye and saying, “I see you. I get it. And I’m here with you.” That’s the real work.
So, yeah, I’ve served. And I’ll keep serving because that’s what I’m built for. But I’m not talking about martyrdom here. This isn’t about sacrificing yourself for the greater good in some dramatic, Hollywood-movie kind of way. It’s about balance. It’s about knowing that you can’t pour from an empty cup. To serve others, you’ve got to take care of yourself too. That’s part of the deal. If you’re broken, you can’t help anyone else, at least not for long.
That’s why I’m so passionate about what I do now. I’m all about empowering people to take control of their lives, rise from the ashes of whatever they’ve been through, and build something better. But that doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens through community, through service. We rise by lifting others, and we lift others by first being grounded in who we are.
Service isn’t about grand gestures; it’s about everyday actions. It’s about understanding that we’re all connected, and when one of us falls, it’s up to the rest of us to help them back up—not because we have to, but because that’s what being human is all about. We’re all in this together, whether we like it or not. And the sooner we realize that the sooner we can start making some real progress.
So, yes, I have served. And I will continue to serve. Not because it’s easy, not because it’s glamorous, but because it’s necessary. Because it’s who I am. And because, at the end of the day, service isn’t just something you do—it’s something you live.
Stay disciplined. Stay resilient.
Jim Lunsford
Disclaimers:
Use of Artificial Intelligence: Jim Lunsford is committed to sharing authentic and meaningful content. To enhance the clarity and effectiveness of his writing, Jim utilizes Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a tool in the content creation process. While AI assists in organizing and refining his ideas, every thought, insight, and story shared on this website is genuinely his own. The use of AI does not alter the authenticity of his work; rather, it helps Jim communicate more effectively with you, his audience. Jim's goal remains to inspire, motivate, and connect, and AI is simply a tool that supports that mission.
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