Reflections on community living and what I’ve learned about it through my time at Shelterwood.
For the past 20 months I have worked as residential staff at Shelterwood, a therapeutic boarding school. As I finished up my time there last week and said ‘see ya later’s’ (I don’t like goodbye’s), I have since been thinking about what made that community so great for me. What follows are some of my thoughts, though realistically community is what you make it. You can float by or live it up. Choose the latter. It’s worth it in the end and gives a greater reflection of the body of Christ.
Community IS….
living alongside each other through thick and thin.
living in a way that’s open, honest, real, and genuine
which opens the door for others to do the same.
walking with others through their struggles in life
and letting others walk with you through yours.
letting others take care of you
when you don’t know how to do that for yourself.
choosing to love those who have hurt you
whether or not they would do the same.
choosing to let people care and ask the hard questions of life.
seeing the brokenness in others
and letting them see yours.
learning the good, bad, and ugly about each other
and accepting one another anyway.
being there to encourage, correct, and confront
being there to have fun and goof off
being approachable and willing to be taught
being challenged beyond belief by those whom you invite into your life
being forced to grow through your idiocy
being humbled when you screw up and have to apologize to 50 some people for your actions
being willing to have those hard conversations that eventually lead to rich, deep friendships
and
having those deep friendships that you will cherish for the rest of your life.
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I’m currently 30% funded and have lots of people praying for this journey I am preparing to embark on with God, thanks to all you wonderful caring individuals! I like you all a lot.
Love,
Crystal
p.s.- I am looking forward to seeing how this view of community is stretched, challenged, refined, and expanded through my experience on the World Race!
