My guess is that, like me, you have some GOLD friends. You know, the ones who have known you a very long time, who have seen your good days, your bad days… and love you anyway! Oh, you are BLESSED by God if you have any deep friendships like that! When I was younger, I learned a little tune that went, “Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other’s gold.”
Vulnerability. Do you shudder when you hear the word? Does your stomach drop like you’re on some terrible roller coaster? Vulnerability researcher, Brene’ Brown, defines vulnerability as: uncertainty, risk, emotional exposure. Nobody likes emotional exposure when the outcome is uncertain. But there is no intimacy without vulnerability.
I like to believe I’m ready and willing to be vulnerable (the good, honest kind!), but truthfully, I’m more willing to be vulnerable with information-sharing than emotion-showing. So, imagine my surprise when simply a sincere, earnest look of compassion made me burst into tears while I was sharing a life update! I was discussing a challenging situation with my Table Group in my typical matter-of-fact fashion, and then BOOM! I glanced at one of the women and she was listening to me so intently, showing such care on her face that the emotions flowed out of me. That was one of the most meaningful moments I had while co-hosting a Table Group. In turn, I wanted to serve our Table Group through intentionally leading our Table Questions discussion and taking part in someone else’s meaningful moment. My hope is to encourage you to consider co-hosting this year!!
My husband and I have been leading various groups at Council since 2012. Our home group at that time was mostly all young married couples with few children. Our time together was full of Bible Study and encouragement with intentional community building. We loved it. Through the years, kids started slowly showing up. One day I looked up and the kids outnumbered the adults! We had continually tried hard to have Bible Study during home group, but it was increasingly becoming a challenge with so many children. One particular group meeting I remember my husband and I introduced a parenting video series and the videos were four minutes long. Surely we could do a four minute Bible Study! However, the first week of that video we had ten different people get up at different times during that four minute video to check on a kid - me included. I felt like a failure as a group leader. At that time, I went to the Lord and asked “what do we do?” I heard Him say, “invest in the families in other ways.”
I don’t know about you, but the longer I live, the more I realize that doing things with others makes life more fun. There truly is beauty and blessing when living in community. If you attended our Women’s Ministry Launch, you’ll recall that we hosted a fabulous panel of women involved in various ministries, highlighting ways we could jump in and serve together. I have experienced firsthand what a practical and powerful concept this is. Making memories with women in our community + serving = a win/win!
We are a community of women where we live, work, and play together. Our community is women coming together under one roof. GOD is our protector. He protects us in all facets of life. As we go through tribulations, deaths, and our travels in this fallen world, God is our refuge and safe haven. We “be” that place where you feel wanted and needed. We love the idea of praying together, asking God to illuminate to us what he wants us to be and to convict our hearts to be better women in Christ.
As far back as I can remember, I admired people who prayed. Prayer has always represented a faith and belief in the power of God that I’ve wanted to see in my own life.
For the past two years, I’ve led a small group with my husband called “The Group That is Small.” It’s been a self-fulfilling prophecy of who we’ve become, as we are down to a group of six faithful members after others have moved away geographically. However, we are looking to grow. Realizing there must be a better name for who we are that could also include where we are wanting to grow, I began reflecting on who we are and what we do well.
When I look back over the story of my life, it is a rather curious tale of what God has used and how. As a teenager, I longed to do and be something extraordinary for God. I felt I was the least likely candidate to do so, but I was tired of feeling average. I saw absolutely no discernable talents in myself and was fed up with being intimidated by my lack of Bible knowledge and overwhelming feelings of inferiority.
