Community

We are so blessed to have found a place we fit. As a family. As individuals. It truly helps to have such amazing community in our lives. People who are growing to become family. Women growing to be sisters. 

Do you have this my friends? If not and you are in the Gaston County/Lincoln County/Mecklenburg County Of North Carolina I would love to have conversation with you about it. If you aren't in our area I would love to pray with you about finding a community where you feel this way. Please don't hesitate to email me. 

Birds. Flowers. Grass. Community.

This morning while doing my quiet time I was reading through Matthew 6:25-34 (using the She Reads Truth plan).  Just reading through I was in awe of how He cares for us.  Then, I came to a realization in this passage that I never have until now.  This is what I wrote in my journal.


He has us.  He will make sure our needs are met.  Often we, as Christians, replace that word NEED with WANT.  Our Father is not going to spoil us materially-new car, new wardrobe, credit card with no limits or repercussions.  He will provide us with what we need.  Just like the birds, flowers, grass.  Food. Shelter. Water. Clothing. Community.  I never thought until this morning about the community aspect of this passage but think with me.  He talks of the birds-who live and fly in community with one another.  He talks of grass and flowers, and while  I have seen a single flower, I have never seen a single blade of grass unless it has been plucked away.  Our God shows us all throughout the Bible how we are to live with each other in community.  Building each other up and calling each other out with love.
In light of the tragedy that struck yesterday in the town of Boston, community is needed now.  Believer. Unbeliever.  Prayers, helping hands, love, and community.
Please join me in praying for the people of Boston.  Those who have their lives there and those who were welcomed so graciously by the people of Boston to run the marathon or support those running.


 

Amazed by God's timing.

I thought about not posting this.  Mainly because if I tell you where we go to church then you know the area we live in.  Then, I thought about how wrong it would be not to post this.  We were led to our church, Exodus, by my former pastor.  It was the perfect fit and we've been attending almost two years.  It's hard to believe hasn't been even two years.  We've made amazing friends and from the first few Sundays we just clicked and everything fell into place for us there.  It's a place we don't shy away from calling home.
There is a sense of community at Exodus that I've never felt anywhere else.  You miss a Sunday and you get at least one text or call asking where you were.  Not in a "you suck because you missed a Sunday" kinda way but in a genuine "hey, we missed you" kind of way.  Community is a big part of what Exodus is about and we love being a part of it. 
Just an example of the type of community I'm talking about as well as God's timing.  I posted about suffering from postpartum depression the other day.  For the first time I allowed my feelings to be put out there and I was finally honest with myself.  A mere four hours after I'd posted that specific post I got a call from a very kind woman who also attends Exodus.  After talking and praying with her on the phone Josh got a call from her husband just to check in and offer him support as well.  Some people might find this invasive and maybe a few years ago I would have but not anymore.  I now see it as somebody who genuinely cares.  Our pastor, Brian, follows my tweets as do several other friends from Exodus and so he saw my tweet with my post enclosed.  My post set him into action and like I said, God's timing is hilarious and perfect.