Being Intentional About Fellowship | In Due Season Volume 1.23

We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this review or post, but all opinions are our own.

We have to be intentional about building communities for ourselves, because trials will come. Difficulties will landmine your path. You will need a shoulder to lead on, and it is better if you build relationships before then.

A few years ago I found my self completely alone.

My parents had moved away. Our church closed. It was a difficult time to walk through, but the worst part was the loss of our community. We had attended since we were baby Christians, and continued faithfully for 16 years. All of our friendships were based in this Holy meeting place. If you are from a rural area you will understand the difficulty in gathering regularly at any other times. Members drove from a 60-mile radius. Visiting a friend at home might mean a day trip, so meeting at the church was the standard for every event from Women’s Bible study to play group. We all tried to keep connected after the closing, but distance and the business of everyday life made it difficult. I had one dear friend, but one friend is not enough to meet the need for a community.

We struggled with moving on. We resisted finding a new church.

We were hurt, sad, angry and hesitant to begin visiting churches with a sign that said “fresh meat!” It was almost two years before desperation set in. I, as a stay at home, homeschooling mother of 10, needed a community. I had boys entering High School. Our school was entering territory that was uncharted. I had a child that was a challenge to teach at home.

Have you ever been discouraged?

Has life ever just punched you in the gut and you needed to find the ropes for a minute? I was discouraged. What I needed, was to wind my arm around the ropes and let them hold me as I caught my breath. We need to surround ourselves with people that will encourage us along this path we’ve chosen. We had no one to lean on. We knew it was time to find a new church home.

We were telling ourselves we were fine, on our own.

We could worship. We read the Word and do good in the world, but we couldn’t do what the Body of Believers was created to do. We were made for fellowship and we couldn’t do that on our own. We need to be a part of something larger than ourselves. Look at any sporting event and you will see the evidence that this is true. We are made to crave fellowship.

In the end we searched out local church some friends had invited us to. We wouldn’t be total strangers, but we would be new enough that we wouldn’t be asked about our old church’s end over and over. No one cared where we were from any way. They were glad we came and embraced us, as is. In the end, we found a new community. I have made some great friendships. We are serving and growing in ways that are new and exciting.

The tearing apart of what I knew, led me to something new.

What once felt like a terrible loss, now feels like the beginning of something even better.

Don’t let isolation lead to discouragement in your homeschooling. Find a community you love. Build one if you have to. You can always check in with a web based group or your favorite encouragers online at their blogs, but don’t let that replace real human companionship. Share hugs, tears and laughter with each other and come away encouraged and stronger.