This month has been full of deep appreciation and gratitude for relationships. For the little quirks that make each person who they are, to moments of vulnerability and boldness…people are important and they always will be.
I have always valued deep relationships, but to a point. To push beyond the surface requires a willingness to risk exposing many parts of who we are, parts that most of us spend an embarrassing amount of energy trying to conceal. I used to be afraid of people seeing my insecurities and weaknesses. I had a picture-perfect image I wanted to portray and for someone to know I was struggling, well that was just me being weak. It wasn’t until I started pursuing my faith more that I began to understand how God intended for us to live with one another. He gives us people to listen, to speak, and to just be when we can’t seem to hear or see Him ourselves. The fellows community has been just that for me. Each person has influenced me in their own unique way. Here are a few nuggets of wisdom I have gleaned so far:
· Listen. Listen. and Listen some more.
· Appreciate how the Lord chooses to work through the small moments
· Gentleness is not weakness
· The Lord is extremely personal
· Let joy hold the power rather than the fear of failure
· The value of pursual and intentionality
· To see the raw beauty within myself
The gift of this community is one that I will never take for granted. 10 years from now I hope I will look back on this group of people fondly and be reminded of their influence on my life. These people feel like home and I cant help but feel all the warm and fuzzies inside as I write this. There’s a lightness and ease that I feel (a physical and emotional feeling) when I am in their presence. I am confident that “home” will never be a place for me, rather it will always be a person or group of people. Home means so much more than 4 walls and roof over my head, it means security, loyalty, and love and I think I have begun to find that here in Raleigh.
Thank you Lord for Brooke, Tommy, Morgan, Jeb, Sarah, Cam, Maddie, Gentry, Jen, Austin, and Trey – thank you for the way you created each one of them so uniquely and intricately. It is truly a blessing to know each one of them.
Life is meant to be shared – its as simple as that.
— Sara