Community

The other night, at ladies' night, a friend mentioned that I hadn't blogged in a long time. I said that I just hadn't really felt inspired by anything lately. But, later that evening, in the course of our conversation, she said something that sparked this blog post. While sitting around Leatrice's table playing games, Sarah said, "Man, what would we have done if you hadn't started this group?" (referring to our Young Marrieds' group) Then, she jokingly said, "None of us would have any friends." I sat there thinking of how things would be very different without this group of people in my life. Honestly, my hubby and I would probably be living in CA, and other couples in our group would likely be in Phoenix, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, etc. Sure, we'd all probably have found friends via other avenues in our lives. But, I'm really glad we didn't have to go down that road. My life is just so enriched because of the wonderful, amazing friends that we've grown with the past 4 1/2 years.
So, Sarah's casual comment reminded me of a sermon that one of our pastors preached a few Sundays ago. His sermon was about community. He talked about the need to be part of a community and described the different arenas in which we can identify with others and create community. The two that really resonated with me the most were the "private space" and "intimate space". Private space is like a our Young Marrieds' group, where we just "do life together" and share what is really going on in our marriages, lives, families. And, the intimate space is the two or three people with whom you can share even the most vulnerable parts of yourself. These people are like accountability partners or friends with whom all the walls come down and you know you'll be loved and accepted regardless of what you say, think, feel, or do.
Pastor Jeff reminded us that God did not intend for us to be isolated and that God wouldn't have admonished us to love one another, bear with one another, encourage one another, pray for one another, etc. if He simply wanted us to live life alone. I sat in the pew pondering just how richly God has blessed me with the community that He intended for us all to have. I am extremely grateful for the people God has brought into my life through our Young Marrieds' group. Through the "private space" that these couples have afforded me, I've shared the ups and downs, the joys and triumphs and the hurts and healings that God has allowed me to experience over the past 4+ years. When I think of the multitude of "big life events" that we've gone through with this group of friends, I'm overwhelmed. We've been through it all together... cancer, loss of a child, infertility, miscarriages, job losses, rough patches in marriage, deployment, adoption, births, renewed hope, graduations, renewed marriages.... and we've been there for one another through it all.
I have mentioned it before in my blog on gratitude, but I just don't know what I would do without these people in my life. I am humbled and awed by the reality that God has provided me with people who know me well and still want to be my friend. The community that God so desires for us is something I have...and I don't take that for granted. I guess that is why watching one of these couples move away last month was so difficult. I treasure these relationships. I value who these people have been in my life and who they will be in my life 30 years from now. I don't ever want to take them for granted. I urge you all to value your friendships and the "communities" that God has placed you in.
There aren't many things that remind you that you are blessed with community than knowing full well, deep down that your friends are genuinely people who
will hug you/cry with you when there are just no words to be spoken,
who will support you in unimaginable ways when it feels like your world is crumbling,
who will celebrate with you when the joys of life are abundantly flowing,
who truly invest in getting to know your family,
who will hold you accountable to being who God calls you to be,
and who truly, truly desire God's best for you.
Yah, I'm blessed... and I love my community... even the "community" that just moved to Minnesota.