Living in community is: a grand compilation of words.
Challenging.
Terrifying.
Tricky.
Simple.
Not so simple.
Freeing.
Inspiring.
Beautiful.
Etc., etc., etc.
I’m learning to really love living in community 24/7. Yes, it’s hard at times to constantly be living with at least 6 other people (typically more). Yes, my independence is challenged every day. Yes, I struggle with the fact that most things here are not my own, sometimes not even my ideas… Really, the only thing that I have found to be truly my own is the hammock time that I allot out for myself every morning when I first wake up and again before I go to bed at night. 30 blessed minutes alone to listen to my favorite bands/podcasts.
However, I’m daily learning more about how beautiful this is.
It’s so sweet to have a team of individuals around that knows you, emphasis on the know. That challenges you. That desires to see you grow into the best person you can be. That gives you your space when you need it, and often times give it without even needing to ask. That goes out of their way to do something for you. That encourages you. That forgives you when you screw up. That loves you despite your flaws. That talks through things with you. That is honest with you. That lets you be yourself.
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.
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I think the sweetest thing I’ve seen so far in the community I have within my smaller team is how we have come to a healthy place where we can each truly be ourselves.
The seven of us started off this whole Race without really knowing a thing about each other. We all came from different backgrounds, environments, and denominations. We all came with different convictions. Different interests. Different thoughts. Different beliefs on how things should be. Different ways we interact with God… just, a ton of differences.
It can be easy to allow these differences to get in the way of relationship. Of truly knowing others. Of living in community. It can be easy to get offended by these differences. It can be easy to hold grudges because of them.
Yes, we’ve battled those feelings that come from such differences… and yes, sometimes we still do… and yes, I’m sure in the future we definitely still will.
But something I noticed a couple days ago was that we have quickly come to a comfortable place where we can all truly be ourselves. Where we can say whatever we want without fear of being judged. Where we can have the most ridiculous conversations and laugh about them for days. Where we can mess up and not have other’s perceptions of ourselves change because of it… but where we can simply grow from those mistakes. Where we can truly just be… US.
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.
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Things such as this make living in intentional community completely worth it, no matter how hard it may be at times.
Things such as this make me excited about having 8 more solid months of life with these people.
Things such as this make me excited to see who we are all going to be at the end of this Race.
Things such as this make me thankful to be where I am.
Things such as this are truly beautiful.
