Category: Community

We were meant to live in community with others. If we want to be part of a strong community sometimes we need to initiate.

Committing to Show Up

Posted on by Wendy
How different would our world be if we all committed to show up?
How different would our world be if we all committed to show up?

Yesterday was a super busy day for me. I subbed in fifth grade. My son had a dental appointment right after school that I had to rush him to. He had two cavities which will result in a second trip. I ran him home and then I rushed to my daughter’s school to pick her up from tennis practice. I rushed home for dinner and then rushed to a brand new small group from church that was meeting for the first time at 7:00.

I have to admit, I was not feeling it at all. I was exhausted. I wanted to put on my sweatpants and sit on a couch, but I had committed to go and be a part of this group weeks ago. Isn’t that always the way with human nature? We love the idea of doing something different, of participating in something that will grow us or change our lives in some way for the better, but when it comes down to it, we lack the commitment. Exercising and eating healthy are perfect examples of our failure to commit.

My hubby and I even talked about people’s lack of commitment on our way over. Why aren’t people willing to commit to growing spiritually? Why won’t we commit to show up?

Not surprisingly, we had a fabulous time. There were three other couples and a delightful single lady. We were all different ages and backgrounds. We had a nurse and a firefighter, a teacher and a pilot, a widow and a graphic artist. We had retired people and people who still have kids at home. We had people at different stages of their faith walk.

So often in churches, we group ourselves with people who are just like us, raising kids, empty nesters, young couples, retired people or youth. We tend to stick with people who are at our same age and stage. I always have. But, here’s the thing, we miss out on a fabulous opportunity to learn from each other and to pass on wisdom and life experiences to each other. We miss a unique opportunity to grow our faith by being with people who see things differently because they have traveled a different path.

The twelve disciples weren’t all fisherman. Matthew was a tax collector. We don’t know about all of the rest of them, but their backgrounds varied. Peter was married, but we don’t get that information on all of them. They were most likely not all the same. They had different stories and each brought something different and unique to the table, just like we do.

Our first little video session was called, “Committing to Show Up.” I smiled when I saw it. I’m way too deep in my faith walk to believe in coincidences. I attended tonight because I had committed, not because  was in the mood, but I was so blessed because I did. How many other things would we be blessed with if we honored our commitments?

We commit to a lot of things. There are things like exercise and diet, but there are also things like building better relationships, or attending church more regularly, or reading the Bible daily, or setting daily prayer time, or serving others in some way. What would our lives look like if we honored those commitments? What would our world look like?

What if we just committed to show up? We might be delighted with the results. I can’t wait to go back to my next small group meeting.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Seeing Jesus at Publix

Posted on by Wendy
You never know how far a few encouraging words can go.
You never know how far a few encouraging words can go.

I’ve been fighting a cold this past week. Each night I would go to bed hoping that tomorrow I would feel better. Each day, I woke up feeling a little worse. Yesterday, when I awoke, it took everything I had to get out of the bed as my throat and head battled over which would hurt worse.

My normally peaceful morning was also marred by an argument with my fifteen-year-old, daughter. I dropped her off at school after a long, silent ride and went home and fell back into bed for a little while.

I had so many things to do and of course, we were out of some essential groceries, like milk. I prayed that God would sustain me through the day. I prayed that He would show me His face. After I dragged myself up again and into the shower, I continued to pray for some sign of encouragement. Could He hear me? Was He listening?

I received an apology text from my daughter. She told me she just wasn’t “feelin’ it today.” Well, that made two of us. I told her it was no biggie. I try to model quick forgiveness for her, the best I can. That little exchange did my heart good, even though my head was still pounding.

When I got on the road, there was construction everywhere, stop and go. When I got to Sam’s Club, there were only two lines open with six people in each line. Sigh. When I got to Publix, things were looking up. I was almost done with my list, when I picked up a bottle of laundry detergent by the lid and it dropped and spilled, on the floor, on me, on the bottle itself. What a mess.

I couldn’t leave the mess. I told an employee about the floor, so no one would fall, and picked up the bottle and put it in my cart. It only seemed fair. Who would want to buy it? My hands were covered in the detergent when I went to check out. I explained to the cashier what had happened and asked for a paper towel. He insisted on getting me a new bottle and he gave me a wet wipe. I really do love that store.

Checking out in front of me was a couple from our last church. She heard the whole thing and before I knew it, she had come back around and was standing behind me. I’ve always had great admiration for this woman. I can see Jesus when I see her. She’s a tiny lady, but packed with power. There were many times over the years, when she went out of her way to thank me for my service to the kids or youth in the church. It was a really difficult decision for us, when we decided to leave, but I am still amazed at how kind everyone was.

Well, here we were at Publix; I was a mess inside and out at the moment, and she was a picture of peace and encouragement. She told me that she just wanted me to know how much she missed me and my family. She told me she understood our reasons and respected them, but just wanted me to know that we were missed and loved.

I was fighting tears at this point. I have always believed if you look for God in the world around you, He will show His face in often unlikely places. I desperately needed an extra helping of grace and encouragement and I asked. Once again, He provided, this time through a darling woman at the grocery store.

You never know the power of a little encouragement or a kind word. I always try to be the face of Christ when I leave my house, but today I got to see the face of Christ. Let me tell you; it was beautiful.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

Appointed to be with Him

Posted on by Wendy
We are all invited to walk with Him daily.
We are all invited to walk with Him daily.

As I was reading the Gospel of Mark’s version of Jesus calling the twelve disciples, Mark’s language had me taking a second look. “And He appointed twelve, so that they would be with Him and that He could send them out to preach, and to have authority to cast out demons.” Mark 3:14-15 NASB

First of all, Jesus had a lot of people hanging around Him. He was healing people and casting out demons and taking on the religious establishment. He was the proverbial rock star and He had a following.

But, Jesus knew the importance of community and He knew you can’t have fifty best friends. So, He created what we like to call in modern terms, a small group, that He could get to know intimately and who would in turn get to really know Him as well.

The text says, “so that they would be with Him,” not hang around sometimes when they had extra time, or drop by on the way home from work, or casually visit on Sundays. He wanted them to be with Him all of the time, so that they would have the faith and ability for Him to send them out to preach and cast out demons, (which is basically, fighting Satan.)

The term preach has taken on a negative connotation these days. No one likes to be preached to and we don’t like to be considered preachy. But, when I looked up the word preach in my Concordance, it defines it as proclaiming or sharing the Gospel or Good News.

Now, sharing the Good News doesn’t sound negative at all, does it?

I think we have to return to the text in order to truly share the Gospel. We have to live it. In other words, we have to practice what we preach. The world sees our actions and they stand out much more boldly than our words.

If we want our actions to proclaim the message of Jesus, then we have to spend time with Him regularly, not just occasionally. If we ever find ourselves asked the question, “What would Jesus do?” we need to have some idea what the answer might be. He has so much to teach us and we have so much to learn. But, it’s only through a true intimate relationship with Him, that we can be who we are meant to be with Him.

When we are with Him, we can forgive and love. When we are with Him, we can know joy and peace. When we are with Him, we are free, and then this broken world can look into our faces and see Jesus because we are out proclaiming the Gospel and taking on the enemy.

It’s the Great Commission and we are invited to participate. Let’s be with Him.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

We’re Not Meant to Journey Alone

Posted on by Wendy
We aren't meant to journey alone.
We aren’t meant to journey alone.

My pastor pointed out in a recent sermon, that Jesus sent his disciples out to preach in pairs. “Calling the twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits.” Mark 6:7

He went on to say that we weren’t meant to walk our faith journey alone. I wasn’t unfamiliar with the passage. It appears in Matthew and Luke as well. It seems that all through the Bible, there are countless examples of God sending a friend or family member to help someone on their walk to follow Him.

There’s Adam and Eve, Moses and Aaron, David and Jonathon, Ruth and Naomi, Mary and Elizabeth, Paul and Timothy, just to name a few. God knows that we are wired for close relationship. It strengthens us and helps us grow. It also makes us accountable and keeps us safe.

A faith friend who loves us and loves God will gently call us out when we are getting off the path, not in condemnation, but in love. There’s safety in numbers.

The entire idea of going to church on Sunday for an hour and doing a little Bible reading at home and praying is fine, but we need relationship to sharpen each other. “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17

So, Jesus sent his disciples out in pairs. They preached and healed people and cast out demons. They did great things together in Jesus’ name. I wonder how often one of the pair got tired or discouraged or afraid. We don’t really get many details from the text, but I think it’s probably safe to assume that the road wasn’t always smooth for them. Jesus warned them ahead of time if they weren’t welcomed, that they should shake the dust off of their feet when they left.

Why would he say that if he didn’t expect opposition? I’m guessing it would have been much easier to give up, when things got tough, if they were sent out alone. But, as always, Jesus had their backs.

He has ours too. We still have that opposition today. When we really try to grow spiritually closer to God and walk more closely with Jesus, or try to follow some new dream God has given us, we will get push back. It’s really foolish of us not to expect it, but here’s where our faith friends really shine.

They not only keep us safe and help us grow; they encourage us to keep going and never give up, keeping our eyes focused on Jesus. We are also instructed to be a faith friend to others. “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11

In an ever more isolated world, where we sit at home and stare at smartphones and computers and don’t even have telephone conversations anymore, perhaps it’s more important than ever to seek out faith friends and community. Sunday School classes, small groups, or inviting another Christian who may be struggling or one who may be completely solid in their faith, to have coffee are all great possibilities to weave that faith net that we so desperately need, that net that Jesus wants us to have.

I’m taking a close look at that net and making sure it’s woven tightly with many different believers. I’m also praying that I’m an integral part of the faith nets of other believers. How’s your faith net? It’s never too late to add people or to get it started. You never have to walk alone. That’s the beauty of grace.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

The Cheers Phenomenon

Posted on by Wendy
Church community is vibrant like a forest in the fall, because it's made up of so many different kinds op people.
Church community is vibrant like a forest in the fall, because it’s made up of so many different kinds of people.

One of my favorite old sitcoms is the show, “Cheers.” It took place almost entirely, inside a bar in Boston. It ran for eleven seasons and took us from the early eighties into the nineties. The owner, was a character named Sam Malone, who was a retired baseball player and coincidentally, a recovering alcoholic. The show’s theme song had the words, “Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name and they’re always glad you came.”

The same characters came by the bar on a daily basis. When one character, by the name of Norm, came in every night, the entire bar called out, “Norm!” The show didn’t really tackle any serious issues of the day. It was just a fun show about a little community. I suspect that was a huge reason for its popularity.

I think there’s a desire inside all of us to walk into a place where everybody knows our name and they’re always glad we came. The world can be awfully chaotic and dark at times and I think we all long to be known and appreciated just the way we are.

The world is also full of quirky characters like the ones on “Cheers,” yet those people can come together and create really vibrant communities. Those communities can come from working together or being neighbors. They can be created  through people who have the same interests. They can also be created in church.

We sometimes meet people in church that we would have never been friends with anywhere else. They may be older or younger or have babies or grown kids or grand babies. They may have different political views. But, church community is particularly special and unique because it’s made up of people who are drawn to worship and serve God in a similar way. The members sometimes have little else in common, but that’s what makes it strong.

Another big buzz word in churches these days are small groups. It seems like all churches try to set them up from the large mega churches to the small community churches. But, whatever the size of the church, the goal is the same, to plug members in with a community. Community supports each other when someone is sick or suffering. Community celebrates together when times are good.

Community can also hold each other accountable. We don’t like that word much, do we? We are all individuals and we want to do what we want when we want and we don’t want anyone to tell us we are wrong. If we want to skip church six Sundays in a row to go to the lake, then we don’t want to have to answer to anyone. No one is the boss of us.

While that is all true, a vibrant, loving community will contact members who go missing, not out of condemnation, but out of love and concern. True community misses its members when they are gone. They reach out to each other because they are missed. Like the show “Cheers,” neither  the community nor the church is the same when someone is missing.

That missing person has a part to play within the community as well as in the fabric of God’s plan.

As I think of all of this, I want to encourage anyone who isn’t plugged in to a church community to find one or start one. We weren’t meant to walk alone. God has people who want to walk with us. Jesus said, “I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you.  For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.” Matthew 18:18-19

Community is important. We all need to be a part of it. We should all get to play the part of Norm in real life and to do that, we have to seek community.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

A Call to God’s Choir

Posted on by Wendy
Even though I don't read music, I have been welcomed to the choir.
Even though I don’t read music, I have been welcomed to the choir.

I recently began singing in the church choir. It’s a very small church with a very small choir. The first night I attended, I had two different people ask me if I was an alto or a soprano. I told them I had no idea. I told them I didn’t even know if they could use me at all. I was assured that they could.  When the woman who leads the choir and plays the piano arrived, she was very welcoming. (and quite brilliant) Before she asked me the dreaded question, I looked straight at her and told her I had no idea if I was an alto or soprano. She laughed and told me we would figure it out.

She then asked if I could read music, again, my answer was, “no.” I mean, I can look at the lines and read, “Every good boy does fine.” But, how is that any help at all?

That was four weeks ago. I did learn that I am a soprano, but I often feel like a foreign exchange student when I attend practice. They use phrases like, take a breath at the rest and crescendo and I’m thinking, huh? The director likes to “walk us through,” a song before we sing it, which apparently, means reading the notes and singing slowly. Did I mention I don’t read music? The pastor’s wife even handed me a pencil at one point, in case I wanted to take notes. I gently smiled and asked her, “What would I write?” She burst out into laughter and explained it.

But, here’s what I’ve learned. I can listen to the experienced members sing the song a time or two and then I have it. I don’t have to know all of the ins and outs of reading music because I have these awesome, patient mentors with a great sense of humor, sitting next to me,who help me along. They don’t make me feel like I’m an idiot or unusable or unworthy because I’m uneducated in music.

Nope, these ladies have all welcomed me into their fold and they have helped me along with patience, grace and some laughter. The laughter is good because I am certainly laughing at myself on this musical venture. When the leader told us last week that we were doing great and that we knew the song, I timidly asked her if she was really sure about that? The rest of the ladies roared in laughter.

This new experience could have been very intimidating for me if I hadn’t had such sweet and patient mentors or if everyone was super serious. But, instead I’ve been welcomed in Christian love. It got me to thinking about how we welcome new members to our faith. There’s a lot of terminology and tricky concepts. Things like the trinity and the difference between faith and hope and why is Good Friday good?

Those of us who have been on our walk a bit longer need to be very vigilant about being welcoming and open to new Christians. We need to be willing to be mentors and we need to be able to have a sense of humor. We were all new to this walk at one time. Most of all, we need to show our newest members love and grace. We all fall or hit a wrong note. We all are still growing and learning.

The choir experience has reminded me what Christian love to those who are new, is supposed to look like. I’m hoping to do as well welcoming others as those choir ladies have done with me.

How about you? How are you doing at welcoming others to the faith?

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Age Matters

Posted on by Wendy
Research shows if we want our kids' faith to stick after they leave home, they need to be exposed and connected to Christians of all ages.
Research shows if we want our kids’ faith to stick after they leave home, they need to be exposed and connected to Christians of all ages.

We are surrounded by a “youth is awesome,” culture. We are all supposed to look and act at least ten years younger than we are and there are all kinds of products and procedures out there to help us achieve perpetual youth in our appearance. Looking and acting younger has become a bit of a cultural obsession.

Statistics show that 40% to 50% of  teens raised in Christian homes who regularly attend church, will leave their faith behind during college, even those kids who were really active in huge youth groups. However, a youth pastor recently told me about research that shows that the ones who stay true to their faith had strong relationships with church members of all ages. It’s called Sticky Faith and you can read about it here if you are interested.

http://fulleryouthinstitute.org/sticky-faith/press-release

I can’t say that I really find that so surprising. In our quest to build youth groups and Sunday School classes with hundreds of  kids who gather regularly for fun and fellowship, they are missing out on relationship with older members of the faith. Hey, wait a minute, is the research stating that older church members have something valuable to contribute to our children’s faith walk? Yes. That’s exactly what the research says.

Come to think of it, the Bible says that too. Job 12:12 says, “Wisdom belongs to the aged and understanding to the old.” Psalm 92:14 says, “Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green. By the way, Psalms and Job both belong to the Books of Wisdom in the Old Testament, just one more point to ponder.

So what does this all mean? Should we do away with large and vibrant youth groups? Of course we shouldn’t. Fellowship with other young Christians is important. But, there’s a certain amount of wisdom that can really only be attained by living. When we live year after year, we make mistakes. We learn about redemption. We experience true grace. Is it really possible for college students or other teens to have the wisdom that someone over forty has? Maybe the better question is, “Is it probable?”

Everyone’s faith walk is unique and everyone who is on that walk has something unique to share. Those who have been on it longer really have the opportunity to share and mentor those who are newer. I believe that’s what God wants for us in Christian community. I believe that’s what God wants for us and our children in church.

So how can we be a part of the, “Sticky Faith,” principle? For one thing, we can encourage our kids to develop relationships with older Christians. Then, we as older Christians, can seek out opportunities to develop relationships with the children and youth in our churches. Even though we may have raised our own long ago, as more experienced Christians, we still have a part to play in the spiritual growth of the kids of all ages in our church. As long as we are alive and breathing, God isn’t done with us yet.

Turns out that older is sometimes better. But, we already knew that; didn’t we?

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

A Season of Gratitude

Posted on by Wendy
Before we speed on to Christmas, let's stop and enjoy a season of thankfulness.
Before we speed on to Christmas, let’s stop and enjoy a season of thankfulness.

Halloween is over, but it hasn’t been a full forty-eight hours since I had trick-or-treaters. I have barely taken the jack o’lanterns off of my front porch. I haven’t even fully looted all of the Snickers and Almond Joy bars out of my son’s candy stash, but a quick visit to the mall tells me it’s time for Christmas. Target has already begun teasing about free shipping and Wal-Mart, not to be outdone, is giving free shipping and special deals already. It’s only November the 3rd.

Don’t get me wrong. I love free shipping and I know in my heart of hearts that the retailers are really nailing us on shipping and handling. I also love a good deal and I like to shop early. But, speeding onto Christmas in our minds is skipping a very important and vital to our hearts, holiday. That holiday is Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is uniquely American. We are the only country who celebrates it. We have seen fit as a country, to set aside a day to remember how the Pilgrims and Native Americans came together after surviving a horrible winter. To honor their blessings, they sat together and broke bread and gave thanks. (To God by the way, the Pilgrims were religious people who wanted the opportunity to worship undisturbed by the government.)

It has become a holiday when we gather together with friends and relatives to give thanks for all of the abundance we have as individuals as well as a nation. We have much to be thankful for. As dire as our economy has been and as dark as the world seems, we are still incredibly blessed. We are one of the wealthiest nations around and one of the freest. We have clean water to drink and clean air to breathe. Our children are all entitled to an education. Our women are free to pursue whatever interests they desire. We are free to worship as we please.

I could go on about our many blessings. We definitely have work to do, but no one can deny that we have been blessed beyond measure. One of the scariest viral outbreaks in the world is ravaging Africa and so far, the medical care available here has been able to save all, but one life. And we have many volunteers willing to go and fight that outbreak, putting their own lives at risk, an example of the blessed being a blessing.

We have almost a month until Thanksgiving Day. I would like to challenge you to take the next few weeks to join me and intentionally jot down one blessing a day that you have to be thankful for. Keep a list for yourself to look back on. Then, let’s start praying for ways that we can be a blessing to others this Thanksgiving season. Start thinking about friends and neighbors who may be alone or struggling this year for the holiday. Maybe they have lost a loved one or can’t get home. Maybe they have recently divorced or lost their job.

If you have had a year blessed with abundance, then pray about sharing with someone who hasn’t. If you have been someone who has had a rough year then consider taking the hand that has reached out to you. That hand may have been inspired by God.

Let’s take the next twenty-five days and count our blessings and be a blessing to others. Let’s celebrate this season with thankfulness, whether the retailers do or not.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Halloween Blessings

Posted on by Wendy
Halloween is a great time to practice hospitality.
Halloween is a great time to practice hospitality.

Today is Halloween. I love Halloween. I love carving jack o’lanterns. I loved it when I was a kid, even though Mama had to drive us ten miles into town to knock on doors of the people she knew. I loved it when I had my own house, but not my own children, and got to have trick-or-treaters for the first time. I loved it when my kids were little and picked out their cute little costumes. I loved it when we organized hay rides for our neighborhood. I love it now when I get to open the door to young trick-or-treaters and their parents.

I suppose I see Halloween as a way of connecting with community and extending hospitality. Going from door to door or answering the door, is a great way to reconnect with neighbors and it’s a great way to meet new neighbors. You actually see faces and make eye contact. It’s an opportunity to extend invitations for future get-togethers. It’s an opportunity to grow community.

Handing out candy is a great way to extend hospitality. I truly believe that there’s not many things closer to the heart of Jesus than the sweet, content smile of a child. It’s also a great opportunity to extend grace. It’s good to remember that little ones have been excited all day long about trick-or-treating and they don’t get started until very close to their bed time. They also probably had a very quick dinner, if they ate at all, before they got started, so they are likely to get tired and cranky quickly. Let’s try to remember that, if they don’t say thank-you for the candy. And does it really matter if they go through the bowl to find the piece they want?

I also recently read that many children who have autism really struggle with the costume thing. We can offer grace by smiling and handing them candy anyway. And let’s not forget the parents. Most parents have worked all day and rushed home to try and feed their kids before they rush out the door. Let’s offer them a kind word when their child is misbehaving or doesn’t say thank-you. They are probably doing the best they can. Maybe we could even offer parents a bottle of water or a Snickers Bar. The kids won’t eat those anyway. They like that fruity, gummy stuff.

Let’s all try to remember that tonight gives us the opportunity to be the face of Jesus. Let’s smile a lot and be kind to everyone who crosses our path. Let’s be a blessing to others as we work on extending hospitality. And let’s pray for the safety of all of those children and parents out there. Let’s pray that God will grant patience to all of the parents as they work hard at creating memories and keeping up with wild and cranky kids. Let’s pray that He reminds us to love everyone.

“Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.” Hebrews 13:2

Happy Halloween Ya’ll!

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

The Lifeline of Community

Posted on by Wendy
Faith community is more than fun and fellowship. It can be a lifeline.
Faith community is more than fun and fellowship. It can be a lifeline.

I got a forwarded e-mail this morning from my church mama. She rarely sends me things and when she does, they are always so good, inspirational and thought-provoking. Today’s was simple, but I loved it so much, I jotted it down in my journal before I took my walk.

“Life. Sometimes life lies hidden and buried under banks of snow, or in seemingly dead and lifeless beehives, or mysteriously within an egg. But under and in and within, life is literally waiting to erupt at just the right time, at just the right moment, because that is God’s desire for creation.” Brother James Koester

The words are so simple, yet so beautiful and they speak volumes about the nature of God, especially regarding His timing. I pondered these words as I walked and prayed. I try so diligently to respect God’s timing. I understand deep in my heart, that waiting for God is an act of obedience that requires and builds faith, all at the same time. But, lately my troubled heart has really wanted some hard and fast answers and some very clear signs, whether they be green lights, stop signs, or detours, and I feel I have been met with silence.

Silence means more waiting and patience is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. These were the things I was praying about when I returned home.

I was met with an e-mail in response to the first, from another church member. The words stopped me in my tracks. It was as if my prayers went right up to God and the immediate response came from her. I don’t know her very well, but we are a part of the same church community. She’s in a different stage in her life, further along than I am, which makes her a prime candidate to glean wisdom from. I don’t know why she chose to include me in her reply. I suspect the Holy Spirit was behind it, the way he usually is with the unexplainable coincidences in our lives.

Her words were a little longer, but here’s the gist: “I am reminded seek and ye shall find. The ‘answer’ the revelation, epiphany most often comes in the, seeking itself. (not necessarily in what was sought) … Must remind myself daily that there are golden nuggets that have been sown just for me….keep digging, keep mining. Often what seems as interruption along OUR chosen way, that is indeed the manna from Heaven along what seemed to be a detour.”

The hair stood up on the back of my neck. These were words my weary soul needed to hear. This is community. This is why Christian community is so important. Through the Holy Spirit, we can encourage and guide one another. When we plug into other community members, we provide a telephone line of sorts for the Holy Spirit to communicate with us. It’s powerful and beautiful and it’s God’s will for the church.

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Community can come in so many different forms and look a hundred different ways, but it’s vital to us on our faith journey. It can provide fun and fellowship, but it can also provide a life line.

How are you doing with community? I’d love to hear from you.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂