The Beauty of Christian Community

Christian community is an incredible blessing.

Over the holiday break, my family and I made a trip to South Carolina to visit our Two Rivers family from our summer mission trip. It’s always so good to see that faith family that God has so graciously placed in our lives. It was well worth the three hour drive.

Besides the food and fellowship, I was privileged to hold a baby that was on the way last summer. She happened to be the same baby that I got a call about asking for prayer, because there were complications late in the pregnancy. I prayed without ceasing and when she smiled at me that day, I saw Jesus. I saw answered prayers. I saw God’s work firsthand, as I often do when I’m with these people.

That’s the beauty of Christian community.

I also saw my friend who had lost his grandson in November. I wanted to tell him that I was sorry for his loss, and that I had been praying for him, but I struggled to find the words. Would I upset him? Would my words make him think about it? I just didn’t know what to say and so I said nothing.

Have you ever been there?

Thankfully, someone else did say something and then I expressed my condolences. It turned out, he really wanted to talk about it. His grandson didn’t just die in a car accident. He died trying to clear a huge piece of debris from the roadway so no one else would get hurt. He was only 22.

He went on to share that his other grandfather had given him some life changing news. Not too long before the accident, he had committed his life to Christ. He and his girlfriend had been attending church. That information made all of the difference to a grieving grandfather who now knows that he will someday be reunited with his precious grandson.

When I told him I was still praying for him and his family, he shared that the prayers from Facebook had really kept him going.

It turns out that there really weren’t any wrong or right words; he just needed someone willing to enter into his grief with him.

That’s the beauty of Christian community.

When my daughter shared with another mentor there, her concerns about a friend who is making some bad decisions, he quietly listened to her and reminded her that all we can really do is plant seeds and maybe give a little water. The rest is not up to us. He encouraged her to be there for her friend, but to remember that she can’t fix it.

That’s the beauty of Christian community.

I had my own struggle when I arrived there. I had seriously been praying about whether or not I should keep blogging. I have so little quiet time these days. I had yet to receive any answers. When we went to visit one of our homeowners, we went back over to the cross we had placed in the yard, to take a picture. We didn’t get one last year after we cleaned up, because it was raining.

There, at the cross, two different people said to me how much they enjoyed reading my words and I had my answer. Why am I not surprised that I got it at the cross?

That’s the beauty of Christian community.

I sometimes forget how important and empowering Christian community can be and what an incredible gift it is. A trip to South Carolina reminded me.

Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!