Post 9: We Need Each Other

I've been waiting all summer for God to impress on my spirit something to share with you all. And here it is.

July had been a very busy month: helping at VBS (180 kids), a lovely 10 day visit with my sister from California, doctor visits, Bible study prep, etc.

When I recently turned the page on my calendar, I was almost shocked to see virtually nothing there. It was almost a blank page. Yay! I finally have the time to do some of the projects that have been waiting for two years. But to my great surprise, I discovered that I was exhausted. No energy, no motivation. I just wanted to sit in my recliner and do nothing, or even better, sleep.

What was going on??

It was yesterday, during a visit with a missionary friend that the Holy Spirit brought it all together. We had shared on a deep level and prayed together. When she left, I was so energized that I felt I could walk on water. I realized that it was often the result of seeing God at work through active ministry. There is definitely JOY in serving Jesus.

As is the habit of many churches, most activities shut down during the summer months. I have always found that difficult because, having no family in London, plus being single, my church friends have become my family. When I only see them for two hours on Sunday, the rest of the week seems empty and lonely. No Bible study to prepare, no Prime Time (seniors), no home group, etc. (Can anyone identify?)

All of a sudden I understood what the writer of Hebrews meant when He said in chapter 10:

 (24) Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.  (25)  And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

We need one another! We need the other members of the body. We need to pray for one another and experience God's answers together. We need to focus on God together in worship, to grow together as we study the Word together. As a single woman living alone, I need hugs from my friends. In this chaotic and seriously broken world, we need hope and encouragement and the experience of reaching out beyond the body in compassion and kindness to those who have no hope…together. So, if you are feeling lonely and cut off during these quiet summer months, you can do something about it.

A few weeks ago one of the ladies in the Single and Single Agains (SASS) group, sent out a group email inviting everyone to a morning of mini-golf and lunch afterward at a restaurant called The Waltzing Weasel. Nine women showed up! It was a perfect morning at our beautiful garden surrounded coarse. It was a great time of fun, much laughter, and catching up. Get out of the house. Go for a walk in the neighborhood and say "hi" to a neighbor. They might be lonely too. Find a reason to walk to the local grocery store or coffee shop and smile at everyone. Smiles are on the "endangered" list. It doesn't need to be that complicated, ask some friends over for iced tea and ice cream or to go for a walk in the woods. Or go support your church baseball team at a league match. (We won both games last night). It was a perfect evening among friends in a lovely setting. Be creative. But do find each other during the summer months. We need community. We need each other.