Thanksgiving is only a few days away. How are you celebrating? We are celebrating with our 7 Days of Thanks. Through this series we are praying that we will all be encouraged to see all the blessings we have in our life, outside of material possessions. I pray we are challenged to dig deeper into the character of God and see how we can be the hands and feet of Jesus to those in our lives with some simple actions.
Each day has a special challenge and some simple ideas of how you can spread some Thanksgiving love in the life of those around you. Will you take the challenge?
7 Days of Thanks:
Day 5: Community
The concept of “community” has been around since the creation of Adam and Eve. God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone”. (Genesis 2:18) This was true for Adam and it is true us. What makes a sense of community and how communities are formed vary for each person but being a part of a healthy and thriving community is important for us all.
“It’s better to have a partner than go it alone. Share the work, share the wealth. And if one falls down, the other helps, But if there’s no one to help, tough!”
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 MSG
Today, I am thankful for my vibrant community, for my family. I am very grateful that my community is my husband, my children, my mothers, my sisters, my brothers, my cousins, my aunts and uncles, and my friends.
I am so very thankful for the people who I am surrounded by that support, love and speak truth into my life. I am thankful for a support system that laughs and cries together. One who offers words of encouragement and hope to each other. We give love without reservations, judgement, or expectations and most importantly we show up. We are not perfect and we don’t always have the right words or say the right things but that does not change that we are family. We are community and we want the best for each other.
Through the years my community has changed, morphed, and transitioned into something entirely new and unexpected. Going from a free-living college student to a woman of faith, will do that. Our life is filled with seasons of change, transitions from one phase of life to another. It can be something as concrete as graduating in school, marrying, having a child or losing a loved one, to something much more subtle and very personal.
Communities help shape our perception of ourselves and our outlook on the world around us. I’ve experienced communities grow, shrink, change and transform as I’ve transitioned through seasons of life. This stretching can be uncomfortable, as is any change but it is necessary for our personal growth.
What is most important is that even as our communities change they are always life-giving and encouraging.
It is never too early or too late to remove toxic relationships from your life and fill your time with people and interactions that bring hope, life and encouragement. Your community will be a part of what shapes your future, so spend your time wisely and choose your community with patience and prayer.
“A friend is always loyal,
and a brother is born to help in time of need.”
Proverbs 17:17
Today, we challenge you to be a life-giver and an encourager in your community. Reach out to some people and share words of hope, life, peace and love. Make a list of people who you can pray for and pray for them for the rest of the week. Being a part of a good community starts with us being a good friend.
Continue Reading our 7 Days of Thanks Series Here:
Day 6: God’s Creation and Creativity
With Love,
Misty
It is Well With Her Soul 
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