Support

Today at church I realized something that I had not fully understood before. I allowed myself to be humbled by letting my friends at church know that I had been let go from my job just over a week ago. I expected ridicule and sideways glaces but what I received was sympathy and prayer.

Most of the woman I spoke with embraced me and become protective. A few confessed to think of me as a daughter and they laughed when they went into mothering mode with me. The poor men that had to endure my hasty tears offered prayer and support. A few of these amazing people immediately began networking on my behalf and searching for job opportunities.

This affects me deeper than most people can probably understand. As someone who grew up without much parenting, and who continues to live without much spiritual parenting, being parented and supported made me feel like I am able to lean on someone for the first time in a long time (maybe ever). I felt nurtured and protected.

I once wrote a missions statement for my second missions trip I had been planning to Mozambique. In my missions statement I explained that we, as Christians, are one body - the body of Christ. When one part of the body aches, it is natural for the rest of the body to respond accordingly - to shift the weight and work together to heal the hurting part.

Often I am part of the latter-nurturing, healing, and offering support. Today, I had the chance to experience the importance of our family in Christ supporting each other.I've taken a lot of hits lately. I've endured my first firing, a terrible fight in my family that has yet to be resolved, financial insecurity, and too much fear. I am aching.It was a beautiful and reassuring thing to watch from the other side of things as the body responded to be today. I was nurtured, embraced, fought for, and reassured - and it was wonderful.

Through this, God revealed to me again, how important fellowship is. We are designed to walk in community with each other. We are created to fight as an army, not suffer as lone islands. Together we stand as a force to be reckoned with in spiritual realms. Divided, it is too easy to fall into temptations of the mind and the flesh.

I encourage you to get connected. Wherever you may be at spiritually or emotionally, it is increasingly important to surround yourself with authentic people who you care about and who care about you. There are a lot of people hurting these days with the economic climate being what it is. It is important to minister to people in need and it is important to ask for ministry when you are in need.

No matter who you are or what you've done, there is a specific and beautiful purpose for your existence. You have a unique perspective on the world because no two lives are exactly the same. You have unique feelings and thoughts and it is important to stay true to yourself and express those thoughts and feelings because you never know when something you say might be of immeasurable benefit to someone in need. You may possess the unique answer to their problem that no one else could offer.

These thoughts are kind of scattered but my main point is to pursue real community and fellowship for your life. Sometimes you will be needed to offer ministry and sometimes you will need ministry yourself. I needed mending today and because I had spent time investing in other people, I had people who supported me and invested back in me in my time of need. Build relationships with love and patience and an attitude of servanthood and you will always find the support you need in your desperate times. Be blessed in knowing that you are needed. You were created to fill a specific role and to be bold enough to step into it. Get connected and enjoy the beauty of the support structure that has been created for you.

Be blessed.