In our community groups we’ve identified some characteristics of fellowship in a little poem: Truth reigns, humility grows….Prayer covers, encouragement flows. Christina Roth shares how this experience of fellowship served her recently.
For any who do not know, my husband Bill works for the Philadelphia 76ers. When basketball season begins Bill is out many nights and my life undergoes a drastic change. Our family LOVES when Bill is home. Everything becomes louder, (a lot louder) and so much fun and laughter fills our home. Bill also loves to care for me by offering to do anything that I was unable to complete during the day – even things like folding laundry and vacuuming! He does it all. So you can see how I can tend to lose vision when he is not home a lot. One night while meeting with my girlfriends (three wonderful women and I meet once a month for fellowship and accountability), I was complaining about my experience of NBA basketball. My girlfriend Barb, in a sweet & humble way, said to me, “Christina, don’t give yourself permission to complain and feel sorry for yourself. Being a mom and a wife is your calling and it is what you were created to do.”
As she spoke these words I knew it was the Lord and I started to cry. It was like she was shining the light on my heart to expose the pride, lack of faith and self-pity that had taken root there. I was grateful for the Lord’s correction and after the ladies prayed for me I was freshly filled with joy and strength. This was one instance of many where fellowship has rescued me from myself. Fellowship included me humbling myself by opening up my struggle. Sisters spoke truth into my situation. They encouraged me by reminding me of God's amazing grace. And they prayed for me, lifting me beyond myself toward the Savior.
1 John 1 :7 says "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin." This is so true! Let's walk in the light together where sweet fellowship, forgiveness and joy await us!
For any who do not know, my husband Bill works for the Philadelphia 76ers. When basketball season begins Bill is out many nights and my life undergoes a drastic change. Our family LOVES when Bill is home. Everything becomes louder, (a lot louder) and so much fun and laughter fills our home. Bill also loves to care for me by offering to do anything that I was unable to complete during the day – even things like folding laundry and vacuuming! He does it all. So you can see how I can tend to lose vision when he is not home a lot. One night while meeting with my girlfriends (three wonderful women and I meet once a month for fellowship and accountability), I was complaining about my experience of NBA basketball. My girlfriend Barb, in a sweet & humble way, said to me, “Christina, don’t give yourself permission to complain and feel sorry for yourself. Being a mom and a wife is your calling and it is what you were created to do.”
As she spoke these words I knew it was the Lord and I started to cry. It was like she was shining the light on my heart to expose the pride, lack of faith and self-pity that had taken root there. I was grateful for the Lord’s correction and after the ladies prayed for me I was freshly filled with joy and strength. This was one instance of many where fellowship has rescued me from myself. Fellowship included me humbling myself by opening up my struggle. Sisters spoke truth into my situation. They encouraged me by reminding me of God's amazing grace. And they prayed for me, lifting me beyond myself toward the Savior.
1 John 1 :7 says "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin." This is so true! Let's walk in the light together where sweet fellowship, forgiveness and joy await us!
No comments:
Post a Comment