Small Group Reunion and the Fellowship of Believers

I cannot begin to express how important this group of people is to us.  Not everyone is pictured (including my own husband) but it's a representation of our Small Group from the years we lived in Chicago, a group of friends who are like family to us and who are a constant source of encouragement and love.  I wish everyone could have a group like this in their lives.  Their friendship is a slice of heaven on earth.

This morning during a Bible lesson with the boys we talked about how important it is to grow in our faith, to grow in maturity in Christ and to remain firm.  This topic was in relation to the disciples and how they grew in faith during their time spent with Jesus and then remained firm after Jesus ascended into heaven.  Of all the ways we do this (reading Scripture, praying, listening to God, etc.) we particularly emphasized the importance of fellowship with other believers.  We told our sons that no matter where God takes them in this life, it is extremely important for them to find other followers of Jesus and to do life together.  Having other Christian friends who are also committed to loving the Lord with all of their heart, mind, soul, and strength is tantamount!  We can mutually encourage each other and hold each other up in a world where it is far too easy to live a nonchalant faith.

The first example we gave to our boys was this group of people that we met in Chicago.  When we moved there for the medical school years, we didn't know anyone else.  We had to start all over with making friends and the first thing we did was look for other faithful followers of Jesus.  This group of people is who the Lord put in our path and we couldn't have been more blessed.  They have remained very close friends through the years, and they have strengthened us and encouraged us and challenged us and edified us more than words can say.  What a gift it has been!

Eli and I have been blessed with Christian fellowship in every season of our lives.  In every place we've lived the Lord has provided us with faithful followers of Jesus to do life with.  We had to do our part by searching and reaching out and responding in turn, and God provided.  It's not something to forego or give up on.  Living our faith in isolation is a recipe for nonchalance at best, so we are teaching our kids how important it is to have Christian friends as a way of growing in their faith.

Our Small Group from Chicago consists of lifelong friends who have always helped us grow in our faith and it was an absolute joy to spend Labor Day weekend with them.  This group has had a reunion every year for the past ten years, and it's always a highlight for us to join them whenever we're back in the States.

This year we went to a YMCA camp in Indiana, which was amazing because the facilities catered perfectly to our large group size (which includes a bucket load of kids now!) and because there were activities included in the weekend: swimming, rock climbing, archery, nature walk, and campfires.

Here are some snapshots of the fun:

What a life-giving weekend!  It was chock-full of the verse we explored with our boys this morning:

"Let us not give up meeting together, 

as some are in the habit of doing, 

but let us encourage one another - 

and all the more as you see the Day approaching." 

(Hebrews 10:25)

Nothing can replace the fellowship of believers.  Nothing else has the potential to edify us in the way we need to stay on course with Jesus.  We are so grateful for every opportunity we have to be poured into by followers of Jesus, and to pour into them in return!