Redemptive Community

Friends,
Here we are in March. The winter months are winding down and we will get to see a glimpse of restoration again as Spring dawns in the weeks ahead. First, as this month begins, I know many of us, have been locked into all that has been going on across the world. I want to urge you to continue to stay in prayer for those in Ukraine and Russia and for the rest of the world. Pray for all those caught in the midst of this conflict and pray for the hearts of the leaders on all sides. We can trust that through all of this, God's glory will be shown in the end.

This month, I want to focus on a very important concept. That is of community and friendship. If there is anything that the last two years has taught us, it's that isolation is not good. We lived in a world, and in some ways still do, that played on peoples fear and emotions and forced people into isolation.  In many ways people became afraid to be around one another. The divide even wedged into families where family member, out of fear, would not be around one other.  Friends, we were not made to live like this. If you've paid attention at all to our messages, or attended our events, you would hear us hammer home the importance community and friendship. It's utterly important. We are relational beings and are not made of isolation.

What does this look like in your world, today? Do you find yourself still isolated and away from people? Have you ever had anyone you could truly call a friend, where life is breathed into the relationship through redemptive connection?  My hope and prayer is that you do have a real community of friends. For men, the hope is that you have men you walk through life with; like-hearted kings. For women, it means that you have other women you walk through life with, like-hearted queens.

One of my favorite quotes from Dan Allender states, and I'm paraphrasing, find for yourself, like-hearted kings who are moving in the same direction and have to fight through the same crap to get there. Sign treaties, and when they are at war, you are at war.  Friends, this is so critically important.  Who do you have in you're circles? Do those friendships bring life or are they deflating?

Every January, I, along with men from my foxhole, get the opportunity to spend a few days with allies in North Carolina. At this event, we get the chance to fellowship, share stories, and we cap it all off by blowing up a pile of Christmas trees. It is a joyful time with a fellowship of Kingdom minded men. What I see on display at this event is so good for the heart. While many are scattered across many states, there has been so much gold in getting back together with these brothers. 

I share this because with all of these groups that come together each year, we all see the same thing, no matter where we are. People who are isolated and are not oriented to a life of friendship and love with people they can trust. Each of us, however, are in Kingdom outposts that want to do what we can to remedy this. While we know we can't get everyone, we do what we can to speak to the life that Jesus modeled. A life built around love and friendship, rather than isolation.

My friend, if you are alone. If you don't know who you can connect with, begin to pray God to show you who it is you can connect with. Connect with me, even, and I'll do what I can to help. Don't settle for isolation. That's where the enemy can keep you on the sidelines. Don't stay there. There is a redemptive community out there for you.