Family

This last week at church, Dan talked about family--basically that we all need it--and basically that we are all able to have it even if what we were handed biologically leaves a little to be desired. I've thought many times about this theme of "family" before and was reminded on Sunday of all the things that the Lord has already pointed out to me--really, He has simply shown me ways that He has provided what was previously missing in my life and drastically changed my life as a result.

My family is so great and I do love them a lot but I grew up in a very typical American home that was void of God. I have no doubt that God was at work in my life throughout my childhood regardless of whether He was invited into my home or not, but it wasn't until I was 16 that I became aware that He had been there with me all along.

Since that time, I have been on many incredible journeys in my faith, all of them intertwining and intermingling and while I have learned from them all, it is the journey of "family" that has left one of the most impressionable marks on me. The family I have come to know in the body of Christ has given me a "home" to discover myself in--to walk into my gifts, talents and strengths in a way I never before could have without that foundation of support in my life. When my own immediate family couldn't understand my journey of faith, my church family could. When my immediate family couldn't understand the things I needed to change about myself to move me closer to Jesus, my church family could. And when I was tormented by the things from my past that I didn't want to take into my future, my church family could and covered me in prayer often times without me even needing to ask.

There are instantly names that come to mind when I think of my "church family." It has changed some over the years and it will continue to change as I move forward with my life, but the one thing that will never change is the kingdom value those individuals have had on me. They showed me unconditional love when all I knew was love with conditions. They showed me strength when all I felt was fear. They showed me acceptance when all I knew was rejection. They showed me Jesus.

I share Dan's prayer: that there would be no one without a family--and what this implies is that there would be NO ONE without deep, committed, intentional relationships. We can all find "people" to fill our lives with but what truly makes them family is if they stick around to see you at your worst, loving you even when you're a jerk and sacrificially giving of themselves for you simply because they love you. If this seems impossible to you, let me assure you that it's not. There were many times in my life when I never thought it was possible to have the kinds of relationships I now have--the "family" I now have--and as silent as God may have seemed for so long, really He wasn't because all the while He was with me, forming me and changing me. He never let go of me in the same way that He will never let go of you--on that promise you can stand.