Comments on: Me rambling again…

By: Vicki

Vicki — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 15:56:00 +0000

Just found this post, my friend, and wanted to echo what you’ve so eloquently shared. I’ve rarely felt like I ‘fit in’ at church. My closest relationships have been with older women who mentored me in the faith, those who were serious about growing in Christ. Even now, the loneliness is sometimes unbearable, but the Lord seems to call us to these ‘seasons’ to do a work in our heart, and to rely on Him. Elisabeth Eliot speaks of loneliness as a gift – but I’ve not always received it well.

I could keep going, but just know that I’ll be praying for the both of us this next little while. THanks for sharing yourself so sweetly upon these pages.

Blessings,
Vicki

By: The Preacher's Wife

The Preacher's Wife — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 14:28:00 +0000

I think lack of community is a curse on our generation orchestrated by satan himself. The pace of life is maddening! It is no wonder blog relationships are so much easier to maintain – we can spill our guts without fear of in your face rejection and do it at our own convenience.

I used to ask the Lord to give me someone to be my mentor – or even a friend who would take a real interest in me and encourage me in the things I love. What I have discovered instead is the concept of Joseph sharing his dreams…Most of the time people really don’t want to hear it. What He has shown me instead is to share my dreams with Him without withholding my heart from my friends…Does that make sense?

Well I am rambling too but the thing that occurs to me is that friendship has to be more intentional in our day than in any other time past. Question is, do we have any left over energy to put into it? Satan will tell us no – BUT – what we are missing is the energy we’d receive from one another if we would make the effort to try. And I am totally talking to myself here.

Okay, I have to go repent now…I am majorly convicted over what a terrible friend I am!

By: Grafted Branch @ Restoring the Years

Grafted Branch @ Restoring the Years — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 04:05:00 +0000

O.k. So we're not the only ones. We've been through a half-dozen churches in a decade looking for our friends.

Two things became clear to us:

(1) God was giving us that deep need for fellowship because He was calling us to fill it. We're the ones who ought to be hosting the small groups, or making the dinner invitations.

(2) Sometimes, He uses the icy reception of some churches to keep us moving to the place He wants us (which may or may not be where we think we want to be).

One question I would ask is: have you asked God? (James 4) With right motives? Have you asked God for friends and been contented with the ones He sent you--or didn't send? No matter their age?

I see that this is an old post, and that your time at the beach over the weekend helped, so I'm glad.