Dear Ones,
Happy weekend! Wow, the weather has been so unpredictable and changeable lately that we are never sure if we will actually get our walk in on the Paul Bunyan. I plan to clean the apartment this morning and do some baking as I serve tomorrow at church.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
God has designed us for community, not in being the Lone Ranger. We learn to live our true selves by living with others for the Lord teaches us so much through them. Is it always easy? No definitely not but it is a wonderful learning tool when we are joined with a community of faith. Even if we were blessed to have Christian parents whom we could trust, we still need to us learn to transfer that trust over to God in faith.

Hopefully we are nurtured by the people of God as found in the church, which is an expression of God’s presence. We learn to love as we are in loving relationships and experience the Body of Christ as we learn to give of ourselves. Sometimes it is also challenging and frustrating as there may be conflicts but learning how to handle them helps us to grow. Pastor Richard Plass and Paster James Cofield share ways that can help us to live well in community, rather than idealize it and be disappointed.

First of all community confronts our selfishness and exposes it. All of us have a selfish bent and it begins to show itself when with others in a close way and we need to acknowledge it. Also as we live with others in soulful relationships we learn to surrender and serve and be patient and to also forgive and pray and love. Others ahead of us in the journey can teach us much if we are open. We learn to suffer as well and find comfort in community. When one suffers we all suffer! We learn how to bear one another’s burdens and our moral character is internalized. We can’t fool others when we are in community as our false self will be exposed, and so we live in humility and gratitude. Others see us as we are and still love us in the Lord. We are all dependent on God and in humility we say Thy will be done, not mine.

We are all called to live not for ourselves but beyond ourselves and to show up for others.

Challenge for today: Recount the way the community of faith has helped you to grow and be open to how you can help bear the burdens of others as well.
Blessings on your weekend and prayers and love, Judy