What is community? Merriam Webster Dictionary defines community as: a group of people who live in the same area (such as city, town, or neighborhood). A group of people who have the same interests, religion, race, etc.
To me the things that make up community are the people sitting next to you in class, or your next store neighbor or neighbors. For me it was four people sitting next to me in class on the first day of Grad school, that is where I found some of my good friends here in Grad school. In undergrad it was the precious friendship with the three girls that lived on the floor above me. We encouraged each other, we cried together, and we talked about God together. It was amazing the community that was built during that time. Let me tell you those moments were precious, I miss those days when I could just walk upstairs and three of my friends were right there. Now they are all married and off in different directions, but they are still precious in my heart and my life, I thank God for bringing them into my life, he definitely had a plan for that time. It was also living with three of my now closest friends when i was junior and becoming best friends with the girl across the hall from us.
As I have watched each of these friends be shaped into such Godly women and some of them wives now. I sometimes long for those days back in our dorm suite having Friday night dinners, watching say yes to the dress, and sharing our joys and struggles with each other, but the thing is every time we get together we always pick up where we left off as if no time has passed at all.
God calls us to that community with others, that fellowship that is so rare sometimes, but trust me it's there. And yes I have made some amazing blog friends through this online community, but nothing beats those real life friendships that you can just share your joy, struggles, and pain with. To me that's the heart of community, the people in our lives that encourage us, pray for us, and are right there to help out.
Soak up the words in this quote from Shawna Niequist:
“Friendship is an opportunity to act on God's behalf in the lives of the people that we're close to, reminding each other who God is.”
Where do you find community?
That year in the village was quote possibly my favorite year of college!
ReplyDeleteLove you Bootiless ;)
http://KatrinaCrouch.blogspot.com
I would have to say that it was for me as well! :) I miss that time.
ReplyDeleteLove you b-lish! <3
This is such a sweet post. I love the idea of pointing each other toward God. This can be difficult to achieve, but it's so important and helps us to build each other up. :)
ReplyDeleteLove these thoughts on community! It's so so important.
ReplyDeleteThanks Daisy!
ReplyDeleteThat's so true, sometimes it can be difficult but it's something that we all need.
Thanks girl!
ReplyDeleteI agree it is important, and hopefully we find it wherever we end up going.