Encouragement is Community

Our dear old friend Daniel Webster offers one definition of community as "common ownership or participation." Several activities come to mind when we think about this definition, such as, work teams working a project; Sunday school classes faithfully meeting; neighborhood block watches protecting.

Years ago American's participated in Quilting Bees, Harvest Gatherings and Barn-Raising. The early settlers knew, and today's Amish community knows something that our rushed society has almost forgotten, that is, a sense of community. They understand the concept of sharing time and resources in order to accomplish great things. Today's hurry-up society barely leaves us time to sleep, let alone time to give up an entire day for an activity such as a barn-raising. The ways we spend our time might be different from the ways we spent our time 100 years ago, but there is still that desire deep within each of us to experience community.

Some time ago, I had the opportunity to get together with about 80 women of all ages, interests and stations in life. We came together to share in the excitement of a new home, listen to God's Word, eat some excellently prepared refreshments and hug new babies. We made new friends, shared stories with old friends, shed some tears, and even high-fived our recent victories. The evening was electric! A friend of mine said that she was so pumped up after the event that she had trouble getting to sleep that night. I walked away from this gathering so refreshed, so energized.

I wondered why it had seemed so long since I'd felt so connected. Then the thought came to me. Even though our society has become more family oriented (at least that's what the polls say), we still have not gotten rid of the behavior that say, life is all about us. At the end of a day, most of us have been so busy with what we think is important, that we have left precious little time to share with others outside of ourselves or our families. Fellowships such as the one I attended seem to take a back seat to our overcrowded calendars. We concentrate more on the urgent, than on the important.

In our current economy, you may know someone who is struggling financially. You wish you could do something, but you're not sure what. May I suggest that as "only one person" you can make a difference! Open your personal phone directory and make a list of people who have resources that can help another. It can be as simple as each of you taking one item from your pantry to fill a grocery bag; or, one of you has a table, computer or desk in your garage collecting dust that a family can use; or each person puts a dollar in an envelop to purchase a gas card so the person without a job can continue their search for employment. We fool ourselves into thinking that we need to do something grand, when in fact we are doing something grand just by opening ourselves up to others' needs.

In James 3:18 of the Message Bible, we read these words: "You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor."

Christine thanks for opening your home to 80 rowdy, vivacious women who have forever changed the way I see life. Since that meeting, I've felt energized, validated and loved. After spending time with all of you, I have a renewed sense of the human spirit. My daily walk is sweeter!

Encouragement to Cling To

My soul clings to you, my right hand upholds you. Psalms 63:8

As I cling to God these past few weeks, I'm reminded that His right hand upholds me. What does that really mean? Does it mean that I don't have to lay in the muddy places? Does it mean that I am His chosen one? Does it mean that like a father teaching his child to ride a bike, He holds the steering wheels and leads me down a straight path? All of the above.

At this stage of my life, there is no one, nothing, and I mean nothing, that can sustain us on this earth other than the right hand of God. People disappoint us; our jobs become uninteresting; our sleep becomes disturbed; even food doesn't taste as good as it did before. But, one thing I'm sure of, the God of the Universe sustains even me with His loving right hand! He will not let me fall into the muck or mire.

Dear friend if all you have to cling onto today is God's right hand, it's a pretty good thing. Be encouraged! Our God was, is, and always will be in control!

author, Cindy Daniels