Be Inspired--Finding God in Each Other

For me, the heart of faith beats strongest in community. It's where my journey with Jesus began and continues to flourish.

I love conversations over coffee, the deep discipleship that happens in small groups of three, and the fellowship of larger groups where individuals, couples, and families can break bread, offer encouragement and support, and pray together. These experiences have helped me understand God more fully. I've not only come to know him better but have also felt his love and discipline personally through my relationships with others.

We can know God both in our minds and in our hearts. In our minds, we come to understand his character and attributes. We learn about the history of his people in Scripture and know his mind and will for humanity. As amazing as that kind of knowledge is, I believe it lacks the depth of a personal relationship characterized by trust, obedience, and love. It lacks the kind of knowing that comes from immersing ourselves in the lives of others, much as Christ did when he entered our story as a man to be fully present and relatable to us. This is what I call incarnational knowing. It’s an experience of deep understanding and identification with others where we are present and actively involved in one another’s lives.

This incarnational knowing, this deep understanding and identification with others, is precisely why community is so vital. Without community, we can't know God to this full extent. It's through our relationships with his people that we are challenged to new heights of growth, receive tangible love and care, and truly bear one another's burdens as we come alongside those who are struggling. This is something I want for all of us.

Some of my favorite incarnational discipleship moments have happened in settings where a few connect around a shared activity. Sometimes that's been a Bible study or a book club discussion. Other times, it's been around a Starbucks table sharing life's challenges while creating a wire sculpture. Serving together has often sparked these moments. And sometimes, the 'table' isn't a table at all—it's a trail or a mountain summit. Some of the most transformative conversations I've had have been while walking.

This year, I’m excited to experiment with creating small group incarnational discipleship moments for women. Our calendar will look a little different than it has in the past. Instead of regular Thursday evening meetings, I'm inviting each of you to Be Inspired, imagine and then share your "best discipleship moment" with others.

Do you love painting and want to share that with other women? Do you have a signature dish you think others might enjoy learning to cook? Do you want to collaborate on a meal plan or share home management hacks? If you'd like to host a meetup to create a space for these conversations to happen over shared activities, I'd love to help you.

To get started, please read through our "How to Host a Meetup Guide" and then fill out the form to set up your event. We’ve already had women lean into this opportunity, offering to invite others into their homes or to community activities. Ideas include making bagels, writing cards to community members, learning a new skill and visiting the pumpkin patch together. I’m excited for the faith forming fun we will have together this year. Let me know how I can help you Be Inspired.