Sunday, January 13, 2008

Holy Huddles


I am guilty of this.

God is convicting me of this.

How often do we stay in our own little comfortable groups of people that we know and love so well and not pay attention to the rest of the body?

We justify it by saying "I am doing so much, I don't have time".

We "meet" three to five people each week at church, but after saying "hi, my name is Kathryn", what do I truly do with it?

I think that if we do not know people well, we are afraid that it will be awkward.

I had the Birkenfelds over for dinner this week.

I did not know them very well.

It was not awkward, Brock put on costumes and ran around screaming with the boys while Megan and I had sweet conversation.

But I want to go even deeper than this.

It is easy to love the lovable.

But what about the people who are more broken then us? (because we are all broken, even if we don't admit it)

How much time do we spend with people who are desperately trying to figure out what a relationship with Jesus looks like?

How much time do we spend with people who are struggling with their walk with Jesus?

Do we really want to listen when people pour out their guts to us and then be there when they need help putting them back together?

What are we afraid of?

Are we afraid that if we invest in other peoples lives who are struggling, we may have to admit that we struggle too?

I know that I would much rather the world only see my smile and the good things.

I do not particularly care for the world to see my short comings.

It is not pleasant to admit that I struggle with fear and anxiety.

Yes, all those things that Jesus says do not do...I do them.

For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." Romans 8:15

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6

I am asking Jesus to give me a heart like that...He is answering me and putting people in my path to do just that.

I am extremely challenged by the current sermon series.

You can listen to it at LHBC.

I am excited to see how our body responds.

To the good stuff and the bad stuff.

And it is not really bad stuff, it is only stuff that we are supposed to be doing and not doing and then feeling conviction about it.

Praise the Holy Spirit for conviction.

Thank You Jesus for moving in our lives when we respond.

9 Comments:

Blogger Kari said...

Kathryn,
I'm so glad that God has put you on my path! And I'm so glad that you and I were able to connect last night in a way we have never before.

I love you and you are so very special to me! Know I'm praying and I'm here for you whenever, whatever!!!!

See you tonight!
-Kari

January 13, 2008 at 1:40 PM  
Blogger Megan said...

Kathryn! Yes I relate with your heart!

Thank you so much for having us over for dinner- we had such a great time and we would love to get to know your sweet family even better- and others!

It is so true- I see a familiar face at church and make a bee line straight for them, I was convicted this week as well.

It is so hard to branch out once you finally find that security- but we must do it if we desire for our body to grow as it should and to truly belong to each other.

Thank you for sharing your heart Kathryn!

We love y'all!

Megan

January 13, 2008 at 10:35 PM  
Blogger Lisa Smith said...

Jesus loved and still loves needy people...so should we. It is so easy for us to love the lovely. Jesus, give us love for needy people...just like you love us when we are needy people!

I miss you...Can we still have a holy huddle some time?

January 14, 2008 at 10:03 PM  
Blogger Whitney said...

mmmmmmmmmm, good stuff. i know we make fun of this song...but...

if we are the body, why aren't his arms reaching?!

but let me encourage you in this way...baby, i've seen you reach out and love. i've seen the hearts and lives you touch--people that i would not reach out to or would not be close to. i love that we are the same body, but we get to reach different people.

i'm on my way over. holla'!

January 15, 2008 at 5:43 PM  
Blogger SaraEaker said...

oh beautiful post! I have to remember that the beginning of church can sometimes be the most awkward time of the whole experience...and yet I do not meet 3-5 people before the service. Often times I don't make it a point to be there early enough to do this. Oh how lazy we get. Thanks for your challenging words. I love you!

January 15, 2008 at 9:40 PM  
Blogger Jennifer Bacak said...

So good Kathryn!
Thanks for challenging us, and the Holy Spirit is convincting us as a Body to do more! To be more!
Love you!
jenn

January 16, 2008 at 8:33 PM  
Blogger Jimmy B said...

For me the conviction is fear of responsibility... responsibility to keep up the contact. I am afraid that the time might be too much, or that I will not have enough time to do something I want to do.
But the funny thing is, and I should know this by now, that I am very often far more blessed getting to know someone than I could imagine. How often I forget the blessing and only remember the very short awkwardness.
Thanks so much for your reminders Kathryn.

January 17, 2008 at 6:01 PM  
Blogger Hope Road said...

Hey,
I tried calling you today but i guess the number i had for you is old. I was wondering if you are going to world mandate this year. I am going with the college group at my abilene church and if you were going i would love to meet up with you. Please give me a call when you get a chance, even if your not going i would love to talk to you! Love you and miss you!

January 17, 2008 at 8:09 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

This was good. Thanks for sharing. I needed to hear this. I am so glad this is where I am right now - this Body loves Christ so much. I need that in my life. Thanks for being real about yourself.

January 19, 2008 at 11:34 PM  

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