This past weekend I had the joy of retreating to Donnelly, ID, with 40 other women and four babies from our growing little church. As it should be in any church community, these women are family to me. We come from varying backgrounds, have a wide range of personalities, preferences, and interests, and have differing views on anything from politics to parenting or pickleball to pizza. But, we have one key thing that binds us together like sisters—we’ve been adopted into God’s family, and because of His great love for us, we love Him, desire to follow Him, and seek to love one another like He does.
It is not always easy. Sometimes, we get frustrated with one another or don’t understand each other. Sometimes, we struggle to listen well, or we say the wrong thing. We fail to “mourn with those who mourn and rejoice with those who rejoice” (Romans 12:15). But, our Father teaches us to “be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as He has forgiven us in Christ” (Ephesians 4:31-32). These sisters are people I can laugh with, cry with, pray with, fail with, succeed with, be vulnerable with, confess with, receive correction with, share advice with, learn with, and pursue Jesus with. I am thankful beyond measure for them. In a day and age when people are so quick to cancel relationships with those with whom they disagree or have conflict, I am grateful for a group of people who know from their experience with the Father what it means to be fully known, fully forgiven, and fully loved, and who seek to (albeit imperfectly) follow His lead in loving me the same.
If you have a community like this, I pray you realize what a treasure it is and that you seek every opportunity to know and be known within it. If you don’t have a community like this, I pray the Lord would provide one. If you’re in Boise, you are welcome to join our community at Table Rock Church. We aren’t perfect, but we have a Father who is, and we are trusting in Him to continue to help us grow in loving each other like He does.
“I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)
By Katie Miller
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