Hello all, so glad you have taken a few moments to visit again. I hope you have been able to enjoy somethings you love doing this past weekend, and you have partaken in some well needed Rest and Relaxation.
In the last few weeks, I have had the incredible opportunity to meet with three of my treasured College friends and my very best friend from sixth-grade. I met with my elementary school friend who came down from Northern California on a separate occasion and my college friends the next week. My college ladies and I try to see each other at least a couple times a year and of course this time was as wonderful as it always is. I hadn't seen my sixth-grade friend Marie for over ten years. It had been so long we were trying our best to figure out when the last time was. I am sure you have had those longtime friends in your life, that when you see or talk to them, it is so comfortable and familiar, it seems like hardly anytime has gone by. It seems you pick up right where you left off. There is a soothing feeling of familiarity when you get together because you have known one another since you were just kids or as they say, "when you were young and dumb." Little did we know when we were placed in a classroom together, on a school team, or as a roommate, we would still be great friends decades later. You can't help but think it is nothing short of meant to be or God ordained. When you think about how many years have gone by since childhood, it quickly becomes a reality check of how much has gone on in each other's lives and how fast time flies when you are past the halfway point in your life. It also tends to remind you how young you feel in your mind, compared to the reality check of how many birthdays you have celebrated.
When I look at all of the amazing women I mentioned above, who I have had the pleasure of spending time with in the last couple weeks, all have been through so much in the many years since we have known one another. We all fell out of touch for a few decades and each one of us went through both amazing times and some real doozies. We all had the great opportunity and gift of having children and building our own individual families, but there was one thing we all have in common, we have all lost spouses. Some lost them to death and others of us lost them to divorce. I think what has made us feel the most remis, is that we really weren't there for each other during those tough few decades in our lives. We had all gone our separate ways and life just happened. Relocation was a factor as well, but looking back, we all feel we could have been better about staying in touch so we could have been at least, an emotional support to one another. The positive and encouraging thing about it is, we made it through stronger, came out wiser, and have much to learn from our trials and triumphs. Each one of us made it through the excruciating tough times, we experienced joy through the good times, and have much to glean from it all. Trials and tribulations make us stronger, wiser, and help us to help others who are experiencing tough times as well.
When Mike and I were watching a sermon from Craig Groeschel a few day ago called Tired of Feeling Lonely, he had many eye opening statistics to share. He said that a Harvard Study was done on the deficit many people feel in their lives. The study showed one in three people can relate to each one of these categories:
1 in 3 believe they have needs in their lives and no one to meet them.
1 in 3 have hurts to share and no one to listen to them.
1 in 3 have love to give and no one to receive it.
Pastor Craig mentions that most of us are enthralled and focused in our devices, that we are becoming used to being isolated, and that is what the enemy wants. I so believe this is true! It is so incredibly easy to actually be in the same room as someone, but hardly even know they are there. That is not what God intended. He did not create us to be alone and isolated. We were created to have community. He created us for relationship, interaction, and love. God did not even create Himself to be alone from the very beginning of time.
Pastor Groeschel breaks it down very well when he explains it this way. God himself is never alone. He is a perfect community. He is the definition of LOVE, it is who He is. He is three distinct personalities in one. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
This is a great description of the Trinity if you have ever wanted a good explanation.
From the beginning of time, God did not intend the first human being, to be alone. God created Eve for Adam straight from Adams rib, to have a relationship with him and be his helper Genesis 2:18-24. If you have never read the book of Genesis in the Holy Bible, it is like no other. Here is a link to Genesis 2. You can navigate the whole book from the beginning by clicking the side arrows back or forward.
God our heavenly father created Jesus and The Holy Spirit, to commune with himself and to also share with us, as a perfect gift. Pastor Groeschel explains that God created each one of us to not be isolated, but to share in the joy of relationship and communion with one another. This can be seen in the two greatest commandments in Matthew 22:36-38
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.
Today I am hoping to encourage each of us to stay connected and be there for one another. Look beyond the comfort of isolating yourself and staying disconnected. Even for extroverts like myself, it is easy to fall prey to this lifestyle. Praying and asking God to help us love one another and help us see the needs of others, and actually doing something about it, is good.
Sharing time to connect with one another can be so fulfilling. It could be as simple as helping a friend get organized, spending time working on a project together, teaching someone a skill you know they are wanting to learn, taking someone to a doctors appointment when they are having health issues. Sometimes we just need to prioritize our time and step away from our busy lives, to be a part of theirs. Bottom line is we all need one another.
I like when I read in my devotional today by Brian Hardin, "It is good to be participants, not just recipients." What a great line! Sometimes just sweatin' in the garden getting messy with someone, can bring about the best belly laughs and allow you to walk away saying, "That felt good in every way!" We need to feel safe with one another, we need to care. We need to laugh with those who are laughing, cry with those who are crying, lend a helping hand to those who need it, learn from one another, have a good work life balance, and push ourselves to get out of our comfy zone.
If this is an area you would like to be better at or you desire companionship in your life, take it to The Lord, He answers prayer. I know that because he answered my prayer when I moved to a different area four years ago and I hardly knew a soul. I prayed for God to bring the friends He wanted in my life. Good quality friends that would be a good fit. I also prayed I could be a quality friend to others as well. In the last few years he has brought me some of the most lovely people in my life that I have much in common with, and who I can learn from as well. We might not have the same views on everything, but those things can be put to the side. It did not happen all at once, but it happened in His timing because I asked for Gods help. I so love the friends he has put in my life from when I was a youngster to the amazing people he has recently gifted me with (you all know who you are :) Thank you for your love and care! Companionships can come in siblings, in-laws, and family as well. I am so grateful for all of them. I lost a sister less than two years ago that I miss very much, but God has brought me incredible sister-in-law's that are a true blessing and are my sisters. His timing is perfect and He always comes through if we cast our cares on Him.
I am so impressed when people make it a point to commit to getting to know someone or a couple better either weekly or monthly. What a great way to start connecting. Invite someone over to your home or out somewhere, almost everyone I know loves to eat or enjoy a nice drink. It's a great place to start in getting to know one another. It all requires effort but will ultimately be a gift that keeps on giving and will cultivate close community with others. We also need to be reminded to let people know how much they mean to us and how much we appreciate them :) Building relationships are like planting a garden, if you tend to them, they will grow.
I am including a song by Danny Gokey. It's a toe tapper and a great reminder to Love God and Love People.
As I sign off, I wanted to thank you for you and for spending your valuable time with me. I invite you to explore more on my website www.intoyourgrowth.com The "About" section will help you to learn more about my inspiration for writing this BLOG if you would like to read it. I would like to invite you to click on "BLOG" to see more of my previous posts, as only a few are shown on the front page. If you view this on your cell, you can click on the brown square menu button at the top of the HOMEPAGE or you can use the arrows below under the most recent posts, to find more. If you are encouraged by what you read, I invite you to "SUBSCRIBE" to this Blog (if you have not already done so) and you will receive notification via email when I publish a new post. I usually try to post on Mondays :) I would love to hear how your are doing on your journey, so I welcome any comments in the Comments Section. Be well and God bless you all. Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers.
Big hugs,
Jen
I am so thankful for the amazing human being you are! You are a true gift to my life!
Girl, what a blessing you are in our lives. So thankful God threw us all together for “such a time as this” in college. As sweet as that time was, it doesn’t hold a candle to how thankful I am for you now at this time in our lives. ❤️