a lot can change in a week...
As the title says it feels like a lot has been changing in the last week. And not really anything outward that I can put my finger on and say, 'aha! that's it!', but more I feel like my insides are changing and I think I'm really liking where God is taking them. I had the most wonderful time at Youth Advance last week-end, just seeing friends and being reminded that there is life beyond myself. And I started to think about how I have been unsettled and discontent and how this is just where that sneaky little devil wants me, cause then I stop my life and feel sorry for myself. Instead of moving forward and dreaming dreams and following the passions that I think God has placed inside me. I sit here and feel sorry about how I wish I had what I don't, and maybe then and only then I will be content. And to tell you the truth I'm pretty sick of sitting around and feeling sorry for myself and so with the gracious help of Jesus I am moving forward.
You see there's been this dream of mine to live in community for a couple years ago. I think it started at 40 days, but it's really grown deeper lately. And I'm feeling like now is the time to start in on this adventure. I'm not just talking about any old community but intentional, loving, learning, reaching, discipling, simple living, community. A community that moves into a neighbourhood to simply be Jesus in a community. In my head it is a place where I am challenged and stretched, and I learn much about God, myself, and love. My dream is to have this community in the Appleby Drive neighbourhood. God keeps opening door after door and I feel like this neighbourhood is ready for a group of loving Christ followers to be in the midst of all these people from different religions, countries, cultures, and backgrounds. I feel like it's ready for some lovin', it's ready to teach us plenty, and it's ready to accept us.
Anyway, I have many, many, many ideas and dreams of how this community would live. Here are just some ideas and themes I'm thinking this community should have (although I realize that there will be more people than myslef and so these are likely to morph and change with different ideas and personalities, but here's what I have now):
*hospitality to others
*common kitchen
*eat together
*simple living
*generousity to each other and community
*meet together
*worship
*have a mentor
*have people come to encourage
*encourage each other
*honesty
*prayer
*reach out
*be Jesus to community
*accountability
*being connected to a local church
So I don't know all the answers to why I'm thinking this way or all the in's and out's to how this would look. But I do know that there is something inside me that really wants to give this a try for a year. See what God has in store for us when we switch up our lives and search Him out and try to learn what it means to really love. Basically that's what I see it as; a big experiment in love and relationships. The two things that Jesus is all about.
More than any other post I've written I would love to hear some feedback on this whole idea of community. So if you've been thinking about this at all please do tell me, I'd love to hear.
You see there's been this dream of mine to live in community for a couple years ago. I think it started at 40 days, but it's really grown deeper lately. And I'm feeling like now is the time to start in on this adventure. I'm not just talking about any old community but intentional, loving, learning, reaching, discipling, simple living, community. A community that moves into a neighbourhood to simply be Jesus in a community. In my head it is a place where I am challenged and stretched, and I learn much about God, myself, and love. My dream is to have this community in the Appleby Drive neighbourhood. God keeps opening door after door and I feel like this neighbourhood is ready for a group of loving Christ followers to be in the midst of all these people from different religions, countries, cultures, and backgrounds. I feel like it's ready for some lovin', it's ready to teach us plenty, and it's ready to accept us.
Anyway, I have many, many, many ideas and dreams of how this community would live. Here are just some ideas and themes I'm thinking this community should have (although I realize that there will be more people than myslef and so these are likely to morph and change with different ideas and personalities, but here's what I have now):
*hospitality to others
*common kitchen
*eat together
*simple living
*generousity to each other and community
*meet together
*worship
*have a mentor
*have people come to encourage
*encourage each other
*honesty
*prayer
*reach out
*be Jesus to community
*accountability
*being connected to a local church
So I don't know all the answers to why I'm thinking this way or all the in's and out's to how this would look. But I do know that there is something inside me that really wants to give this a try for a year. See what God has in store for us when we switch up our lives and search Him out and try to learn what it means to really love. Basically that's what I see it as; a big experiment in love and relationships. The two things that Jesus is all about.
More than any other post I've written I would love to hear some feedback on this whole idea of community. So if you've been thinking about this at all please do tell me, I'd love to hear.
