We Are Not Alone

Happy Mother’s Day!

Today is a special day for so many of us - there are those, such as myself, who have been blessed with loving mothers and who are married to women who are loving mothers. My mother sacrificed so much for us, especially when we were very young and she worked 3 jobs just to keep the plates spinning...Every time someone comments on my wife’s blog or facebook that she is truly a great mom, my own heart swells with pride...My mother-in-law is incredibly thoughtful and was responsible for teaching and training this generation’s most talented mother...My little sister who is now happily blogging about diapers and spit-up...My grandmothers who are now spoiling my children just like they spoiled us when we were little (and when we were over there last time...) - to all of you wonderful women - Happy Mother’s Day!!!

At the same time that this day is a happy one for so many of us, for too many others it is a painful reminder of even more painful memories, disappointments and tragedies.

To all those who weep today because you’ve never been able to conceive a child; to those who have lost children or lost mothers; to those who’ve never had a good relationship with their mother and to mothers who long for reconciliation with their children; to all for whom this day causes mourning instead of rejoicing: we hurt together and in one voice we cry out to God for the day when he will set all these things right. We call for justice because the world is not as it was meant to be.

My prayer is that you will find peace and comfort in the midst of your pain. I pray also that you are blessed with a community of friends and family to surround you. I urge you to reach out to those around you - you may feel that no one can understand your pain, and that may be true; you may feel that people won’t know what to do with you if you are honest, and sadly that could possibly be the case as well.

But that’s what makes the comfort of a friend so effective. It is truly powerful and worth the risk it takes to invite it in precisely because it isn’t available from just anyone. If you are alone, we invite you into community with us. If you don’t live near us, we want to help you find community with someone near you - but we can’t help you if you remain silent.

I love that I am a part of a small but vibrant and growing community of people dedicated to this kind of shared life. It is hard and so often we look around and secretly long for the days of anonymous, consumer Christianity - just like the newly freed Israelites longed for the familiarity of life as a slave in Egypt.

Sometimes it feels like we are alone in this struggle. It can seem as though no one understands what we’re experiencing...

And so to everyone who experiences this type of fear - hurting mothers, lonely children and the communities that seek to journey with the hurting and lonely - I say this, you are NOT alone...WE ARE NOT ALONE!

I read an article this morning about a church that reminded me a lot of Christ Journey and it struck me that there are communities like us springing up all over. Its happening because we need it to happen, its happening because God has been calling us to let him make it happen! And as it happens, the hurting find hope amid incarnational communities and those communities can share hope with one another.

So do not allow the excuses to pile up. If you are afraid or alone, know that these are characteristics of the kingdom that is passing away and Jesus’ words of good news are offered to you, “The Kingdom of God is at hand!”

We invite you to cultivate the With-God life and experience the Community of God here and now...