Have difficulties come knocking at your door lately?

No matter how hard I try to avoid it, hardship always seems to find a way to rear its ugly head at the most unfortunate times.

Truth is hardship can seldom be avoided; it is a part of this package called “life on Earth”.  Jesus warned us about this, In this world you will have trouble. (John 16:33a, emphasis mine)

So what do you do when hardship comes your way?  How do you react?

My natural reaction is to panic.  Scenarios run through my mind, one worse than the other, piling up so quickly I feel am about to be crushed with worry and anxiety.  The future seems dark and hopeless.  Fear and depression begin to take over.

But out in the distance, at the farthest crevices of my mind, I see a tiny light – one that shines brighter and stronger the closer I run to it.

It is the light of past experiences, memories of God’s deliverance and intervention during times of trouble.

Asaph expressed this so well in Psalm 77.  He had called out to the Lord during a difficult time, but he felt as if God wasn’t listening, as if He had forgotten him.

7Has the Lord rejected me forever?

Will he never again be kind to me?

8Is his unfailing love gone forever?

Have his promises permanently failed?

9Has God forgotten to be gracious?

Has he slammed the door on his compassion?

Perhaps you’ve felt like Asaph, too, wondering if God has forgotten you, if He even hears your prayers.

Trouble has a way to make us feel this way.

You might enjoy a close relationship with Jesus, so close you call Him Friend.  And suddenly, wham! trouble whacks you so hard you can’t even tell what hit you nor where the blow came from.  Dizzy with pain and confusion, you wonder, where is God in all of this, cause He feels nothing but far.  And what are you supposed to do?

Asaph knew the answer:  You remember.

Psalm 77:11, But then I recall all you have done, O LORD; I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago.

The other night, on my way to Small Group, I pondered these things.  Many friends at my group are facing incredible hardship.  I felt overwhelmed by their troubles and by some of my own.

Jesus! I cried.  And then I remembered.

I remembered His love and His faithfulness, His might and the miracles I’ve witnessed before.  I remembered His words:  Be still.  Take heart. I have overcome the world.

That evening, during Small Group, I felt that we needed to focus on God’s goodness.  We needed to remember.  I asked the ladies to share something they were grateful for.  And as we did this, peace began to settle in, comforting us like a sweet embrace from above.

When my turn to share came, I said, “I’m grateful for past experiences, because they remind me that even when circumstances seem hopeless, God will always come through – somehow.”

Have difficulties come knocking at your door lately?  Please remember this:  God has not forgotten you.  And when you call out for help, He will deliver you.  His arm is mighty to save.  His Holy Spirit will guide and comfort you.  His love will see you through.

I pray you will never forget this, but that instead, you will always strive to remember.

Ana

I sat on the sofa surrounded by 12 pairs of eyes, all fixed on me. I was on my element. Having the chance to meet and talk with a group of like-minded believers seemed heavenly. I secretly giggled. You sure have come a long way, girl!

We had gathered at my friend Alma’s house for our very first Small Group meeting. Things were quiet and a bit awkward initially. After all, most of us didn’t know each other. But the ice began to melt as each of us introduced herself.

I could hardly contain my excitement. For weeks, Alma and I had been preparing for this meeting, and we had had such a wonderful turnout! When my turn to share came, I expressed my excitement at the chance of making new friends.

“As we get to know and pray for one another, friendships will develop,” I said with a huge smile. Yet a look around the room made me realize this statement didn’t necessarily elicit an equal response from everyone there.

I could only imagine what some of the gals might’ve been thinking. “I’m not sure I want you to know me better.” “What if you don’t like me?” “What’s gonna happen once you find out what I’m really like?”

In her song, Love Me, artist JJ Heller pleads, “Dear God, could you send someone who will love me for me?” It is the cry of every heart, “Would you love me for me?” “Would you still love me, once you knew the real me?”

It is the same question I silently asked for years – one that kept me from enjoying the blessing of friendship. Thinking that if I “limited the exposure,” people would only see me at my best – then they would never dislike or reject me. But if they got close enough, soon they would see me mess up.

Would they still like me then? Would they still want to be my friends?

A few months after moving to Phoenix, I began to attend the Women’s Bible Study at my new church. Relationships began to form with an ease I hadn’t experienced for a long time. My fears faded away; the walls I had built came tumbling down. I gave friendship a second chance. And guess what? I still messed up plenty of times. But my new friends did not judge or reject me; instead, they lovingly encouraged me to grow in Jesus.

And now – 13 years later – I wonder, what would I do without my friends?

At the end of our meeting, I stood by Alma’s front door and said good-bye to each of the ladies. As I did this, my heart was praying for each one of them, asking God to give them the courage to press on and to continue attending our group. For if they do, they will see miracles: answered prayers, hearts made whole, and – none the least – the miracle of friendship.

Give friendship a try. Join a small group! For a list of available groups, click on the following link: http://vineyardnorthphoenix.com/smallgroups

Ana
http://anastinescorner.blogspot.com/

The other day, I drove by a Starbucks on my way back from church. I saw a group of women sitting at one of the outdoor tables. They were sipping their coffee drinks and seemed to be enjoying the pleasant weather and conversation.

Though my vehicle lingered briefly at that intersection, something caught my eye. One of these women was listening intently at her friends. The look on her face told me that she “got” whatever the others were saying.

I think that we all long for that kind of relationship, for someone who “get” us – whether it is a parent, a friend, a boyfriend or a spouse. We need to know that there is someone we can talk to, someone who will understand – even if they don’t necessarily agree with us.

Every week, our church offers us an opportunity to make that kind of connection through a small group. A small group is a great place to find people who understand where we’re at or what we’re going through. And if they don’t, they are willing to offer a listening ear, their friendship and their prayers.

The beauty of small groups is that they are made of people with similar interests and goals. There are groups for us girls; some are just for men; some are for parents; some are for singles, and some for married couples. Some groups focus on a topic, like prayer; some study a book of the Bible, and for some the main focus is building relationships.

This weekend, VC will hold its biannual “Small Group Fair.” Tables will line out throughout the courtyard, advertising the different groups available – some existing, some new.

If you have not yet joined a small group, I encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to find the group that’s right for you. During service, ask God to direct your search. And after service, walk around the different tables, and stop at the ones that interest you. Grab flyers and talk to the leaders standing there to get a better feel for what their group is all about.

If several groups appeal to you, feel free to visit them during the following weeks. Eventually, you will find the one in which you feel “at home.”

When you first visit, you might feel a little bit like a stranger. But I guarantee that as you get to know the people in your group and as you worship the Lord together and pray for one another, a very special bond will develop.

And one day, you will see you group nodding intently as they hear what you have to say, and you’ll realize you’ve found a group of friends that really, really “get” you.

Ana

I have a secret. 

It is something I’ve struggled with for a long time and something I was ashamed of and afraid to tell anyone else.  Who would understand?

One day I felt so desperate I decided to share my secret with Susan, a woman in my small group.  The words and ensuing tears gushed out like a torrent I could no longer control.  I told her that ever since my teen years I had battled extreme fatigue; that when my kids were little there were days I felt so tired I didn’t think I would make it; that I felt like a failure because I couldn’t keep up with my house chores, and that there were mornings my muscles ached so bad I didn’t want to get out of bed.

I told her about my feelings of guilt and frustration; that I felt like a horrible mother because I had no energy to play with my kids or to treat them with patience; that I felt like a bad Christian who had a wonderful message to share but no strength left to do it.

When the words and the tears finally stopped, I lifted my head very slow, scared to look Susan in the eye.  Certainly she would think I was just lazy and a coward.  But when our eyes met, all I saw was compassion.

“Oh, Ana!” she said, “I know exactly how you feel.  I, too, have struggled with fatigue for many years.”

Susan hugged me tenderly and prayed for me, then she encouraged me to talk with my doctor about my symptoms.  After several years and many different tests, my doctor finally figured out what was wrong with me.  My chronic fatigue and achiness were caused by the Epstein Barr virus.  I would’ve probably never gotten the help that I needed if it weren’t for Susan.

I’ve learned to control my symptoms with diet and exercise, but I still have bad days – days in which I am tempted to give in to depression and hopelessness as I wonder, Will I ever feel ok again? 

But because of friends like Susan I know now that I will be ok.

The Apostle Paul encouraged the early believers to “carry each other’s burdens” and in that way fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2).  Through my struggles, my friends from church have shown me what it means to be carried.  I still battle pain, fatigue and depression, but I no longer have to face this alone.

My secret is out in the open.  And I am no longer ashamed.

Ana

http://anastinescorner.blogspot.com/

If you are looking for a safe place to meet the kind of friends that will be there for you in good and bad times, join a small group!  Our church has dozens of different groups that meet throughout the Metro area.  For a list of small groups and more information, click here: 
http://vineyardnorthphoenix.com/section/small_groups

I walked inside my home and dropped the luggage on the living room floor.  I gazed at the familiar walls, the curtains and the furniture, but couldn’t help feeling as if they belonged to someone else.  I sighed.  I’d hope this time around it wouldn’t be like this, like it always is when I come back to Arizona.

Homesickness for my country of origin, Guatemala, and for the family I’d left behind 20 years ago sipped through my skin and into my bones. 

It was hard to explain and justify feeling “all alone” when I was married to a wonderful man and had a family of my own.  But coming from a culture where people hardly ever move, a place where your extended family is always around and a part of your everyday life, being just “the five of us” felt utterly lonesome.

I started a load of laundry and poured a can of soup into a pan.  I turned around and looked at my children as they waited eagerly for something warm to eat.  They’re so precious, I thought, feeling guilty about the way I felt.  What is wrong with me?  Why can’t my family be enough?

The next day, as I moped around the house feeling sorry for my self, I had an epiphany.  There was NOTHING wrong with me!  My husband and my children were indeed a source of  much happiness and fulfillment.  But their love wasn’t enough to realize my God-given need for fellowship.

I started to think about the people the Lord had put in my life during the years I had lived in Arizona, people my husband and I had met at church and all the incredible women in my Bible Study I considered my friends yet I never took time to spend with outside of church.

The morning of my epiphany was the morning I decided I wouldn’t be lonely any more!  I realized God had surrounded me with great people I could be friends with.  That’s the morning I vowed I wouldn’t waste another weekend staring at the TV, wishing I could be with my extended family.  Instead, I would invite people over for a barbeque or I would call a friend to meet her for lunch.  And that when I came across my neighbors, I wouldn’t just smile and wave from afar, but actually would take the time to say hello and ask them about their day. 

“Good for you, Ana,” some of you might say, “but reaching out in search of new friends isn’t as easy for me as it seems to be for you.”   I hear you.  That’s why I’m so happy to tell you about a place where even the quietest and shyest of all can make friends.  It’s called a Small Group.

This month, our church has launched scores of new Small Groups that meet at different times during the week.  There are groups for married people as well as for singles, for stay-at-home moms as well as men.  Some meet to hike and pray on Saturday mornings, some meet to study a book of the Bible on a weeknight.  And the list goes on.

I guarantee there is a group out there, just for you – one where you will feel like fish in the water.  And as you become a part of the group, soon you’ll discover that the group has become a part of you, like a family.  And you’ll be doing life with them, and laughing with them as well as comforting each other.  And one day, just like me, you’ll realize that you’re no longer alone.

I pray God gives you the courage to step out of your loneliness and into a Small Group.  Your new family awaits.

Have you ever been touched by a random act of kindness?  I have, in a most particular way.

Yesterday my husband, my son and I went to the movies.  As we settled ourselves down and began to munch on our popcorn two young moms walked in with their children.  The theater had quickly filled up and they were obviously going to have a hard time sitting together.

I noticed that the three seats to our right and the three in front of us were still empty, so I asked these ladies if they wanted us to move so that they could seat together.  They thanked us profusely as we moved down one row.

We settled ourselves down once again, and once again we resumed munching on our popcorn.

As the lights dimmed down and the previews began, I was surprised by a tap on my shoulder.  It was one of the two young moms.  She handed me a bag of M&Ms and said, “This is for you.  I want you to know you made my day.”

I was so overwhelmed, I could barely focus on the screen.  I mean, I hadn’t done anything great or heroic.  Yet I had managed – in total random – to make this lady’s day!

I might have made her day, but the kindness she showed in return meant more to me than she’ll ever know.

As I enjoyed the movie and my M&Ms, I thought about a testimony I had heard earlier that day, during church service.  Ten years ago Alicia Manes, a young woman at our church, and the small group she lead began serving single women by putting together a “spa day”.  What began as a small act of kindness has evolved into a full-fledged yearly event.

I was touched by Alicia’s testimony, but what I especially appreciated was hearing that she and her group had made all kinds of mistakes along the way, had little resources, had felt overwhelmed,  yet they kept on going, showing kindness to single moms and being obedient – a word Alicia repeated over and over again as she spoke that morning.

Obedience…  Saying “yes” to the promptings of the Holy Spirit to display His love, His ways, and His kindness.  The Apostle Paul said it so well, “God’s kindness leads [us] to repentance.”  (Romans 2:4)  Alicia and her group had lead hundreds to experience the changing power of God’s love.

Thinking back on yesterday’s pleasant experience at the movies, I can surely say that a little bit of sweet kindness sure goes a long way.  How has kindness touched you?

I’m eager to hear,

Ana