Better Together
I love all the energy and enthusiasm happening on campus this Fall. One area you can see that energy bubbling up is on Wednesday mornings. It starts with laughs, hugs, and conversations as ladies crowd the Teen Center for Bible Study. Then we start meeting together around tables where we continue building genuine relationships and learning more about God through studies relatable to women.
Meetings like this have such a significant effect on women’s lives. They help shift our focus off of ourselves and onto each other so we can invite God’s Spirit to begin to work. We get to experience God meeting personal needs and needs in the community at large. We get to experience him changing our lives. We get to become better people in our homes and outside of our community!
Of course, not all Wednesdays are full of energy for everyone. For each person, there are some Wednesdays when they feel discouraged, emotionally drained, or just wish they were on vacation. And so, we take those feelings to God by starting with prayer requests. Those requests vary, from personal health struggles to prayer for our families to needs that affect others at large--like the current Hurricane Ian in Florida. On our own, things can feel overwhelming, but when we come together and give it to God, you can feel the love among us.
This reminds me of this quote from Mother Teresa, “In this life, we cannot do great things, only small things with great love”.
We are learning to love in big and small ways together. Truly, the little things done in love matter just as much as the large ones. And sometimes, it is the little things that help the big ones happen. In big and small ways, we strive to love each other above ourselves, and in that, we begin to grow.
Jesus helped us put the importance of love in perspective when he responded to a prayer request a mother brought to him in Matthew 20:21-26:
21 “What is it you want?” Jesus asked. She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”22 “You don’t know what you are asking, [Jesus said]” ”26 …Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave.”
Here Jesus shifts what is important. He reminds us that being a follower of him means life is all about love in big and small ways. And when we come together, it helps us learn how to love each other and our world.
What is making you feel overwhelmed? What is one thing you can focus on and work on to achieve a more significant impact?
Just like in our Bible Study, we are practicing daily habits that reorient our souls in relation to God. I encourage you to find a small group of friends you can do life with or join a study and connect with others. These sacred times help mold you into a better person, keep you grounded, and keep others focused. It helps us all grow into loving and serving better.
Often, we cannot avoid the circumstances we go through in life. Still, we can prepare ourselves spiritually, emotionally, and physically so that when those times come, we have people to share those struggles with. Together we can make a difference in each other’s lives…and you can see it happening in our women’s group right now. God is at work!
Serving Him together,
Grimelda Sanchez