Longing for Community...

A couple of weeks ago I returned from a trip to Honduras.  It was probably my 15th time being there, but for some reason, the transition back home was harder than it's been on trips in the past.  Maybe it is was fact that we went from 95 degree weather to 20 degree weather in a matter of 24 hours and I just couldn't handle it.  Maybe it was the reminder that my third cup of Espresso Americano in a matter of 1 hour would be the last for another 6 months.  Or maybe it was just because I had felt a deep sense of community during those 10 days.

I felt community as we sat around the table eating meals together, sharing our stories.  I felt it as we stayed up into the late hours playing games, laughing together, and living "stress free."  I felt is as we served together, ministering to over 1200 kids.  I felt is as we debriefed each night, creating space and time to speak words of encouragement, and to speak about what God was teaching each of us.  I felt it as we shared our struggles and prayed for each other on the spot.

As I've transitioned back into a world that moves at a crazy fast speed, I have felt myself longing for that kind of community and wondering if it is even possible here.

Last night, I was invited to serve communion to a group of college students at what they call, "Kingdom Experience."  I had just finished a 3 day youth event where the average night's sleep was about 5 hours.  I am not going to lie, I was exhausted.  The girl leading stood up before it started and explained we were going to spend some time in worship and then break out into small groups and spend some time talking and praying together.  The theme of the night was "community."

When it came time to break into groups, I figured I would just observe the college students and listen to what they would share, because honestly, I was way overtired to actually participate.  However, I jumped into a group with two young women who I have been getting to know at the college this past year, and God began to move in my heart.

For 20-25 minutes we shared our hearts.  We shared our life experiences.  We shared our struggles.  And we prayed for one another.  I sensed God speaking to me in those moments, saying, "Andrea...you don't have to wait to go to Honduras to experience community.  Just be intentional right where you are."

I realized as I walked away from that place last night that community happens when we make it a priority.  It happens when we invite someone into our life to be a prayer/accountability partner, choosing to be vulnerable, or when we invite people over to our houses for coffee late at night, despite the fact that there are piles of laundry and the dishes haven't been done for days.  It happens when we set aside our to-do list and create space to laugh and be real with each other.  It happens when we are intentional.

The past year, as we have transitioned into a new home, a new environment, and a new culture, I've struggled with intentionality when it comes to community.  Some weeks, busyness drives my agenda.  Other weeks, the thought of allowing my heart to lay bare in front of someone new scares me.  Still other weeks, I deem a million other things as more important.

Deep down inside, I think we all long for community.  We want spaces where we feel heard, understood, and challenged.  Those are the spaces where we lean into our true selves and discover that we not only need each other, but we are better together.   They are the spaces where vulnerability both transforms us and calls us to live courageously.

May our longing lead to intentionality.