#write31days - Oct 3 - WAIT for community

About 4.5 years ago I heard of a new church starting in Houston.  At the time I was attending and very involved in one of Houston's "mega churches". I was teaching Bible Study, had a calendar full of events and activities to attend, abundance of church friends I saw often and was honestly a little nervous of leaving.

For about 8 months I went to church on Sunday mornings, mostly just in and out. I met a few people through a week night community group, and knew I had made the right decision in a new church, but I did miss the "community" aspect of church. I felt like I knew a handful of people but it wasn't the same. 

Then I was laid off, packed up my apartment, moved to storage/home and hit the road traveling and working for a year. Anytime I was near Houston for a Sunday, I went to church but there definitely wasn't community. 

Then I finally settled in to a new job, moved back to Houston area and was able to attend church regularly. I found my place in a few different areas of serving and involvement, and felt like I was making strides in re-building community.

Fast forward to what is now 4 years later after I first changed churches and the community I have is so sweet. Young to old, families and singles. I have rested through these years in knowing I was where I needed to be and God would open places for community on his time. I just needed to WAIT it out. I actively did that in a pew without much extra conversation and slowly it came. Lots of life happened to me in those 4 years, seasons of ups and downs, great joys and great pains. 

Each year our church marks the "birthday" with a Vision Sunday, which was just a couple of weeks ago. Since that week I have really reflected on the new community I have found. Dear sweet friends who pray for me, walk alongside easy and hard, challenge me, love me and bless me. It is such a gift and so worth the WAIT of seemingly silent Sundays.

I was reminded of this clock, with no hands.  We want all things in a short & defined amount of time, but really, most things are going to come with no defined time. Our lives don't have clock-hands to dictate timing and learning to accept only the hands of God's timing make the WAIT much easier.

Photo: Joanna Gaines - Magnolia Market

So if you're in a new place, give it a little time, it will come. 

For previous posts in the #write31days: WAIT (click here)

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