Community.
Community is Something I’ve been searching for since I left college.
You see I always found myself in the soccer community. It was easy to make that my identity and surround myself in that community. I was the soccer player who was also somewhat of a nerd. However my sophomore year of college I learned that’s not who I am. That’s soemthing I do. I learned I am actually a child of God. I am valued, worthy, and above all else loved for more than what my title is. Just like everyone else is also a child of God.
With soccer ending about two years ago I’ve been pressing into my relationship with God and I found myself in a community of girls that really challenged me to become better. However I never allowed myself to become vulnerable with them. I didn’t let my guard down and in a sense I was afraid to let them know the true me. My mistakes, my struggles, and how I was really doing. I was still hiding because even if I believed what God called my identity to be, I was nervous they wouldn’t see that in me too!
Over October 9th-16th I got to experience my new world race community I will be spending the next year with. When inside this community they are challenging us to be receptive to the truths being told and also speaking truth in a loving way to help grow individuals towards Christ. They are challenging me to become more vulnerable and for us to start to trust one another because our intent is going to be to grow each other to become more like Christ. This community is showing me that even through my faults and downfalls they still see the beauty that I am God’s child.
I tend to be a very optimistic person and happy go lucky which is very true to who I am. However, there is still more emotion and feelings then someone who is positive all the time. I am starting to learn that it’s okay to express other feelings and I am getting better at sharing my thoughts and emotions.
At training camp I realized that God is working in our community. I got to witness squad mates break down crying because God moved in. I watched as others dedicated their lives and were made new in the form of baptism. I got to see the beauty of God growing individuals confidence, gentleness, and character. Despite the imperfections we have this group of individuals is willingly allowing God to move within their hearts! I’m excited to be in a community that is wanting to experience God and be vulnerable so they can allow Him to change us into Godly men and women.
Not only is God moving within the lives of my Squad mates but he has also started to move and take hold of mine. This community has challenged me to dig deeper into how I am living and look at how God wants me to live. I feel the Holy Spirit starting to break my chains and working on leading me to forgiveness and vulnerability. He also is showing me how to slow down, listen and be intentional about fostering my relationship with him. The community has me receptive to help me grow and become more like Christ.
Ephesians 4:15, NLT: “Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.”
Throughout the next couple of blogs I am going to go into more depth over How God has been moving and what training camp looked like.
