the beauty of community

tonight, our small group met in a home for supper, fellowship, and hanging out. had a good time shooting hoops with the guys and watching the kids play together. the ladies gathered like hens, in the kitchen, to share stories and "women-stuff" (what exactly do women talk about when they get together??? makes you wonder...)

anyway, at the end of the night, we had a quick, informal "check-in" to see how everyone was doing. melody and i were able to share honestly about some challenges we were facing. instead of having to carry the mantle of "leaders", this group/family allows us to be a real couple with real struggles. they encourage us to share and be ourselves. they listened, shared encouraging words, and prayed for us.

as they prayed, i sensed the sure presence of God and i felt a wave of relief come over me. my pride almost kept me from sharing...but i am so glad i did. God ministered to me through my brothers and sisters. i saw the body of Christ at work tonight.

i am coming to see how rare of a gift this truly is. honestly, few ministers have this type of community. most ministers have to be "on" and always there for somebody. few ministers experience a group where they are allowed/encouraged to be honest and share struggles. this feeds the isolation and loneliness that most of us ministers deal with regularly.

so, i am learning to lean. learning to trust. learning to entrust myself to others and let them fight for my heart.

thank you, God my Father, for allowing me to experience the beauty of community.