it is been far too long since my last blog post. My intention is for that to stop as of today. It is not fair for you if the reader to not have consistently when you come to this blog, and quite frankly my own lack of consistency in this area is discouraging to me. Please allow me to give you a brief overview of what I've been doing the last few weeks. First, in addition to my volunteer position two days a week, I have joined an online writers training program called Compel: attempted as well to join an online Bible study, but this has not worked out so well. I am loving the compel lectures offered by Proverbs 31 ministries. While I love the book confident heart and this will be my third time to actually read it. I haven't done a a good job of interacting with the online Bible study. I honestly think that I have overcommitted myself somewhat! I have discovered that I don't do well achieving goals by myself.last Sunday night I was given the privilege of sharing with my church the impact that our 40 day prayer challenge has had on me. God was faithful as he always is to take my weakness and use it for his honor and glory. I was deeply encouraged by the love and encouragement offered by my church family. Lately it seems God has been reminding me of how important it is to be plugged in to real genuine community. Yesterday I saw the movie Capt. Phillips. This movie in many ways illustrated the same point. The message that the captain continued to give his crew was stick together, despite the fact that they have been attacked by a ruthless enemy. This doesn't just make for good triumphal movie, it is also a deeply scriptural principle. Community happens in many different forms. Whatever the form community may come in it is essential to well-being and success.I know that 95% of the time social media gets a bad wrap, and some of it is no doubt deserved. For me though, social media has provided a sense of community when circumstances prohibited me from leaving my house. King Solomon in Ecclesiastes stresses the importance of community and knowing that one is not alone. If we are attacked and we have no one to support us, then we are no doubt doomed to fall prey. If we have community, then even if we fall – it will not be fatal. Those who support us can't help us to get back up and run the race again. 9 "Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. 10 If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. 11 Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? 12 A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken." Ecc. 4: 9 – 11
I have been very blessed in the sense that God has always provided for me at least a couple of genuinely sincere relationships no matter what season of life I find myself in. There are times when it takes a lot of work to get into a community where you belong and feel that you can be the person that God created you to be. The older I get, the more this become an essential need and priority to me. I'm not talking about codependent friendship, I've been down that road: and some days am still tempted to do so. I am fully aware of the fact that being in community is part of God's desire for his children. At different times in my life the sources through which I have experience community have been different depending upon the season. In the past, I have always been eager to hold on to whatever relationships or friendships God might bring them to my path. I do believe that loyalty is a good quality to have friendship, however as I have matured over the last couple of months, I have realized that it is okay for friendships to grow and change. It is even okay to maintain a friendship for a season, and not a lifetime. Trust me when I say, that everything in my being wants to protest the statement I just wrote. It is okay to want meaningful relationships in life, butI have made the mistake ofnot allowing myself to establish the possibility of new friendship, for fear that it might somehow eradicate or hinder the few friendships which are precious to me. I am a firm believer that we were never intended to have numerous genuine companions. I don't mean that we should not be nice to all people. The Bible says just the opposite of that love one another without stipulation. Even Jesus had special individuals in the in his life. It didn't mean that Jesus was prideful, because clearly Jesus is the perfect example of humility!While I won't list these individuals personally, it is my hope and desire that they know that they are part of my community, and they don't need their names listed in order to be confident of this. Today I'm thankful for God's perfect wisdom in offering me community and every season and in different ways!
what ways have you found that has led to genuine community?
How do you define fellowship? I'd love to get your feedback, as I explore these questions for myself.thank you for sticking with me and I plan to be back in touch with you soon.
