I am going to make a bold statement that you may or may not agree with. I say it with much gusto and passion. I am going to tell you that I live in the best neighborhood known to man. My neighborhood is about 20 miles in diameter, and I am telling you it is a great place to live.
I have lived in this community for the past 46 years and I absolutely can’t imagine living anywhere else. My neighbors aren’t only our neighbors, they are our friends, and they have become our family.
Greg and I just walked in the door from having dinner with our Bible Study. We meet in our community one evening a week and what an eclectic group we are. There are approximately seven churches represented in this study and what a great time we have. We laugh together, and sometimes we cry together. We study and learn together, support and encourage each other, and most of all we deeply love each other. We are a family.
Greg and I are blessed to have another family, and that is our church family. Due to our distance from the church, (40 miles to be exact), we don’t live as much life together with these folks, but that has not hindered us from becoming a family, a real family. They have prayed for us, supported us, encouraged us and loved us through every life event imaginable. Just like our neighborhood family, we can’t imagine doing life without them.
I know there are folks who don’t know the names of their neighbors even though their yards are touching and they see each other every day as they come and go. I know there are some of you that shudder at the thought of entering a church, and can’t imagine the folks that gather there ever becoming your “church family”.
God has made us for fellowship. Introvert or extrovert that is how God has created us. What would it look like if you learned the name of your neighbor and actually had a conversation instead of hurrying by. I know and understand that it is difficult to walk into a church for the first time. If you are a church goer are you inviting your non church friends? If you haven’t found a church that suites your needs, I am going to encourage you to keep trying! Plain and simple friends, we need each other, and what a gift these extra “families” are to us. Each of our extra families are perfectly imperfect people who are living life together.
A great way to start 2024 is to either begin or grow our faith. It takes one step to start this journey, and my prayer is that we take it. Welcome to the family friends, we are glad to have you.
Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
