Every Monday night I find myself sitting in my living room surrounded by seven women, handfuls of chips and salsa, buckets of laughter and the Word of God.
And every Monday night, I think this is what doing life together looks like.
We’re all at different stages—some of us are pursuing college degrees, others internships, and still others of us are in the middle of full-blown careers. We’re simply a sprinkling of twenty somethings embracing this journey of becoming who God made us to be. And we realized we didn’t want to do it alone.
This all sounds wonderful, right? The rainbows, butterflies, kittens and daisies kinda thing where we all join hands and sing Kumbaya at the end. Not so much. Being in a small group isn’t all sunshine and cotton candy. There are hard moments, busy seasons and rocky patches. But in the midst of the craziness, being engaged in a small group has brought some centerdness to the hiccups and heartaches. It has introduced me to girls I can laugh and cry with simultaneously. Girls I can count on, girls I believe in, and, in turn, I know they believe in me too.
So, why does joining a small group matter?
- We weren’t made to do life alone. God designed us for community, for the ebb and flow of doing life together. Small groups are beautiful environments for organic community, a gathering of people simply journeying together.
- We weren’t made to stay comfortable. The journey of becoming who God made us to be means embracing growth, embracing the uncomfortability discovered in releasing control and trusting God with His best for us. Small groups help us learn more about ourselves and more about God. Small Groups stretch us, help us grow, and don’t leave us the same.
- We were made to help others too. Becoming who God made us to be isn’t all about us, it’s about how we can reach out and help those around us on their journeys too.
It may seem like one more activity to add to your already bulging-at-the-seems calendar, but this weekly appointment in your iCal will quickly become one of your most cherished time slots each week. I leave Monday nights encouraged, refreshed, and ready to keep traveling this journey of becoming because I know I’m not traveling alone. And that’s an incredible feeling.
Not connected in a small group? Check out your church’s website for small groups to get plugged in to. And if you are already connected in a small group, give your group a big hug this week and remind them how much you appreciate their presence in your life.
