The Other Three C's

Happy, happy Wednesday!

Today I got to hang-out with the other C3 pastor's wives. We're a small group now - so we're tight.

There are many things I've learned over the past year - some of them I hoped and expected to see, like the movement of God, the development of more diversity in the church, and God's complete faithfulness through the struggle (all of these have surpassed my expectations!)

One thing I didn't expect was the feeling (and, in some ways, reality) of "mass exodus" - so many losses, many of which I didn't see coming, and the grave disappointment which inevitably followed. I stopped telling myself, "I know them, they won't bail!" I definitely stopped saying "How much worse could it possibly get?"

Of course, the Enemy knows our fears, and each time someone would go, there would be the temptation to panic...to give in. But, the fear is always overcome by love. All of the strife and contention has led to something - many things - that are beautiful. It's all about the "other" 3 c's: change, which leads to conflict, which causes chaos - which facilitates growth!

The other thing that I didn't expect is the outcome of the loss - the gain. Gaining the knowledge of the blessing of true friendship, gaining the gift of understanding pain, gaining the freedom to be who God created me to be without reservation or condemnation. The safe place of real, solace-type friendship is rare - I have discovered - but it does exist, and I experienced it again in full measure today. And I am thankful.

I hope everyone feels the depths of true "shelter" friends at least once in their lives - we can all begin by being that for someone else. It's awesome - and, for me, it's so "C3".

Happy, happy Wednesday! Love someone today. Peace.