I just inherited 4 new sisters and 2 new brothers

Intentional Christian community living. It’s much harder than you’d imagine. I’ve lived with people before, like everyone has. At Bible college I had two room-mates, Monica and Kaelin in a 10 feet by 15 feet by 15 feet room. When I attended UNC for three years I lived with four girls and that was very fun. I’ve grown up with a sister, a mother, a father and multiple animals as pets. I am in no way a hermit or even an introvert for that matters, so I figured this intentional Christian community living would be fun and easy, and the least of my challenges during the World Race. Well, it’s the end of week two and I’ve annoyed and frustrated my fellow team mates and been annoyed and frustrated myself. Welcome to the truth about intentional Christian community.

It’s more of a challenge than you’d think to constantly be around the same people day in and day out: serving with them, praying with them, living with them, eating with them, etc. etc. It’s messy, challenging and most days it seems like all we do is pray, serve, do feedback, worship, serve, pray, eat, do feedback, sleep and do it all over again the next day. And with all that being said, it’s been the best and healthiest thing I’ve ever entered into. I have six people that care enough about me to constantly challenge me, confront me, and love me unconditionally (ugly moments and beautiful). I’ve never lived with people before where we are constantly being vulnerable and open with one another both spiritually and emotionally. There is no such thing as “sweeping your emotions under the carpet” or the phrase “I don’t want to talk about it.â€�

Every single night we do a thing called “feedback” and it’s where we go around the circle and talk about what we’re specifically happy about, who’s been doing something great, or what’s specifically ticking us off and who’s doing something that’s hurting us. I thought this was going to be horrible and awkward and we were going to grow farther and farther apart whenever we’d be honest. I was so wrong. I have already given constructive feedback, and it’s only made my team mates and I stronger in our relationship as brothers and sisters in Christ. The truth is (as I said the other night during “feedbackâ€�) that we are stuck with each other for the next 10 and a half months. It’s our decision to grow in our relationships with one another, to be honest with each other, and be vulnerable at times when it’s really hard and emotional.

Our team has already began opening up with one another, and discussing our own struggles and situations in our lives presently and back home. It’s made our team bond and grow together so fast that I feel like I’ve known the six of them for years and years but we’ve only been together for a mere 15 days. It’s crazy how fast you get to know someone when you’re literally with them every second of every day (even when we’re not awake we’re still together with our room-mates). Intentional Christian community has challenged me in ways I never knew I needed to be challenged.

I have always known I’m a “people pleaser� and that I never want to bring anything up that could offend or hurt someone. Feedback and being continually honest with my team has changed that. I have also always been such an extrovert I didn’t realize that I would have to really try and seek out “Alone Time� on the race to keep my sanity. As long as I have a little time to blog, journal, and think with Jesus and no one else, I’m a happy camper.

Now that I know these things, I am a much better, happier, more confident person and team mate. Whether we like it or not, we’re going to be each other’s family this year, through thick and thin, good and bad. But to be completely honest, I can’t imagine doing this race without them, I love them all like true brothers and sisters, and it is a true honor and privilege to have them by my side. Team Lovebound, I love you all and I am so blessed by the Lord to have you!