Finding Community

As you may have gathered from some of my previous posts-my friends and I are really into community.  I don’t really know if we love community because we have a great one or if we have a great one because we love it, but either way I am so very thankful for what we have in our little “community unit”.

 (Most of our little community unit)

Sometimes I feel like we have it right, like somehow our little group did something that seems to elude so many and form a community we love and cherish.  A community that makes use grow.  A community that shares laughs and tears, fun and fights.  Other times I think maybe we are a little weird, maybe we hang out a little too much, maybe we should branch out or stop acting like what we have is so great.

But the other day I got this text from a former student worker of mine.  This is a woman I have known since her senior year of high school.  We have been on service trips together and she has worked countless hours for me as a student tour guide.  I attended her graduation and have met her family.  She was a very special student and now friend.  This text melted my heart:

 This text confirmed that what I have here is indeed great.  What I have here impacts not only my life, but the lives of others.  Kathryn has not met most of my friends-she certainly does not know them on any deep level-but even with the little she knows she realized the community we have is special.   She in turn craved and sought after a similar community in her own life.  It is beautiful to know that at the same time she pursued that I prayed that she would find it. I prayed that she would find a community full of love and genuineness and God.  What a blessing to see this answered prayer.  And who knows what young girl she may someday find and encourage to seek after that same thing to find people in this life who encourage you in the right ways, who love you for who you are,  and who you can live in true community with.

Here’s to friends new and old, near and far who encourage, and love, and make us who we are.