Better Together

Five women. Women who are branches of one rooted tree who is Christ. Truly He is our One common denominator.

It is true that among the five of us we share some commonalities in that we’ve all stayed married and all have children. Yet, none of our marriage relationships have taken the same tract, nor have we raised our children just alike. The sheer mystery of how we all ended up living within a 5-mile radius of and even met each other testifies to our Father writing our stories.

Two of us began our life story in California, one in New Jersey, and two in Georgia. Add in our husbands who were originated from additionally diverse areas of the country, and the conclusion is that our Father God brought us together for such a time as this.

Thanks to the organizational gifting of one and the hospitality gifts of others, we as couples have met quarterly for dinner, conversation and laughter. As sisters we’ve known each other round about 20 years. However, this past year over four Saturday evenings is the time we’ve gotten to know each other best by bringing our men into the mix. Our bond as brothers and sisters is more tightly knit than any of the previous years.

No one has it easy. This world is rock hard and dimly lit. We’re all struggling individually and as couples to keep our eyes focused on Jesus. Yet, when we come together the light of Jesus in each of the ten of us makes the room bright.

At the end of stories around the table, laughter to the point of sides hurting, and hard tears brimming at the edge over painful circumstances, we grab the hand next to us and call out to our Father.

“I laughed so hard I had tears running down my legs!”

It’s all too much. Life. This broken cistern in which we dwell for now. We know our bodies will be made whole one day, but right now they hurt. Our trust is in the Lord for those we guided most imperfectly, but lovingly into adulthood. Hope is what we hold out for the youngest who bring amazing joy in the midst of struggle.

It’s all too much for us to bear individually. So, we as brothers and sisters bear it together, and carry it all to our Good Father, our Elder brother Jesus, and we wait together as Holy Spirit pours the healing balm over our minds and hearts. The balm looks like smiles and hugs from one brother and sister to another as we walk out the door.

Until next time. We’ll text in between. Prayers. Praises.

We’ll cross paths with each other here and there. Old situations will be reviewed and new ones added. Listen. Support. Encourage. Pray more.

How is it that we’ve come together? So different are we – from North to South and East to West. Blue and red. Values yes. Conservative on some and not so much on other issues. Denominations and none. All valuable. All loving. All well-intended. All as different and unique as the One who designed each of us.

How is it we’ve become so close? Certainly not because we think just alike! All ten of us process information through extraordinarily different lenses and filters of life experience.

We have One Father. We are each adopted by Him. Grafted into His One rooted tree. Called by His name. And appointed by Him – commanded dare I declare – to live, love and seek Him together for His glory and our good.

I hope you will take time this week to listen to Ravi Zacharias (RZIM) as he engages in a face to face conversation with a brother in Christ of a different generation. This conversation between Ravi and Tim Tebow impacted me with hope for our future.

That’s how I see it. What do you think?

Eyes on Jesus and SHINE,

~Lisa