Community

I have been learning a lot about community over the last year. Actually since JM spoke about it in a class at church. God's community seems new to me. Not because I have not had it or been a part of it I am just entering it in a new way. See when I married JM he worked at Xerox. Over the last 8 years he has been working towards God's call on his life which is to teach at the university level. Along the way he has developed his love for teaching and pastoring people. I did not understand how that would change my (personal) life. I finally got it today. While I was walking to bible study I was ticked off at JM for some stupid thing over dinner. I cried in the car and I was thinking to my self "what a jerk." Then a women, whom I know, came up to me and just went on about how great JM was on the Sunday that he preached. She said how much he had encouraged her and how wonderful he was and what a great man of God he is. Well I was thinking to MYSELF: "really? Is this the same man I just had dinner with? Encouraging, ya nope wasn't there." I looked at her and smiled and thanked her for her kind words. (I truly believe all the things she said about him. I have to say that I love JM with my whole heart and I love how he seeks after God and supports our family and just LOVES me.) But here we have had a little fight. You know the kind that blow over once you get back home.

So I texted JM as I walked to my bible study and said "It is not fun to be mad at you and then have someone come up to me and talk about how great and encouraging you are to them." Then I walked into my bible study and after about 15 minutes of discuss they came to prayer and community. I felt overwhelmed. I can not even remember what I started to say but it ended like this...me bawling my head off and me saying I did not know that being a pastors/teachers wife would be so hard. I did not expect that my everyday ordinary life would look different for those that hear him preach. I was encouraged by the women in the study who encouraged me in God's call for our family. It was a blessing to have them pray for me and to know that I have a community of people that love and care for just me. It is a blessing to know that I can call upon my friends to cover me in prayer and it is eye opening that I need it SO SO SO much; meaning that the more ministry we do as a family and JM does, the more prayer we need. Thank you NMC Ester women for loving me tonight!

I encourage you all to seek community and to live with people and not just next to them. Blessings!