Hello all!
It’s been a crazy few months with
our son’s wedding and with life in general, but I’ve decided to take a few
minutes to sit quietly in my favorite room and reflect on some things that God
has put on my heart recently. I woke up this morning with so many folks on my
heart who are hurting for various reasons, and with others who God just put on
my heart to pray for. When He nudges me like that, I feel compelled to pray. I
also woke up with some other thoughts on my mind this morning, some of which
I’d like to share.
Often, my blogs come into being
from something I have read in my private worship and devotion time, or a friend
may say something profound or they may come from watching a sunset or sitting
quietly watching a gold finch or a humming bird feast on one of the many
feeders in our yard. The words just start swelling in my heart and I cannot
wait to get the time to put them down in print.
This writing is sort of a
combination of all of these kinds of moments, however, it mainly began forming
in my heart when a dear friend reminded me of something that I think about
often. In fact, it is a vital part of who I am. We were talking and like so
many other times through the years, she shared her heart thoughts with me. She
is a dear friend and any time that I get the chance to talk to her, which is
not nearly enough, she strongly encourages me. I love her dearly and I thank
God for her and husband, and other special friends who love me enough to always
be honest.
During our phone conversation, we started
talking about biblical community and what that means. She and her husband would
probably not want me to say this about them (they are very humble folks), but
for MANY years, they have been and continue to be such examples of biblical
community to me and to my family. She shared a very good “definition” of
biblical community. I think it came from one of her favorite authors, and also from
their own personal ministry experiences. She said this, (or something very
close to this…I even grabbed a notepad and wrote it down!) “Biblical community
is this, knowing and being known, loving and being loved, serving and being
served, celebrating and being celebrated and grieving together in times of
grief.” I think I’ve got that right, believe me, she’ll let me know if I
don’t…and that is one of the many things that I absolutely love about her! J
Her words have continued to ring
loudly in my heart and mind in these last few days. I find them to be very
true. Just about everyone I know wants to be known, loved, valued and
celebrated. We all need someone to laugh with us when we have something to
laugh about, people who really care about us, especially when we are hurting or
grieving. I believe that God created us with hearts that desperately need Him
and need others. We are not islands, we need each other! I KNOW that is so true
for me.
Not only do I need others, but I
strongly desire to be this kind of. I want to be the kind of friend and
believer who is available for others when they are celebrating or when they are
hurting or all in between. I want to love people well and know people well, not
just know about them, but KNOW them and LOVE them. I want to be the kind of
example that my dear friends have been to me for so many years. We always want
our home to have a revolving door with a huge welcome sign, a hug, a warm meal
and listening hearts for all who enter. I want to love like Jesus loves. After
all, is our best example. He loved all kinds of folks. He met them right where
they were and loved them into His Father’s kingdom. He loved tax collectors
(some not so nice people in His day), he loved women who had been with many
men, people who cursed Him, people with diseases, and He loved the very people
who crucified Him. (us!) Not only did He die for us, but He keeps on loving us.
If we are His children, nothing and no one can separate us from His love.
(Romans 8:35; 39) This is an incredible truth!
Well, I’m not sure how to wrap this
one up except to say that I really need people in my life who love me enough to
be honest, who love me enough to laugh with me, to cry with me, to dream with
me and to walk with me along life’s path until we all reach eternity. I read
something this week that makes me realize just how much I need others, but more
so, how I need Christ. It said something like this…thoughts of my own weakness
lead me to the Cross. Wow, when I think about just how weak I am, and about how
little I can actually accomplish on my own, that pushes me to my knees and to
the foot of the Cross. It also causes me to reach out to a few dear friends to
ask for prayer and guidance, for encouragement and maybe even just a hug. I
thank God that I have a wonderful family and a pretty incredible church family,
some of whom I believe deeply care about me. I want to give as much of that
back as often as I can. I want to LOVE others. Do you have a place and some people
like that? Do you have a relationship with the One who loves you like no one
else ever will, Jesus Christ? Do you have a church home that is your extended
family? If not, I strongly urge you to find someone who is willing to talk to
you about Jesus, or a church home where you can know and be known, love and be
loved, serve and be served, be celebrated and celebrate, and find a few folks
to walk through life with you. If I can be that person for you, please let me
know. I am willing! I may not get it right all of the time, but I’m sure going
to keep trying! God bless you all and thank you for reading!! J
Hebrews
10:24-25 “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and
good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of
doing, but let us encourage one another —and all the more as you see the Day
approaching.”
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