Unplugged

 

We all have excuses. This was mine: I moved back to my hometown after being gone for college. I am in a crazy transition stage, because I know that I will be here for only seven months at best. I shouldn’t really invest too much, because I will not be here that long. Yes, all of this is true. This is an incredibly awkward transition stage, but all of these excuses are just that. They are silly excuses.

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We were created for community, and I can tell the big difference that it can have when there is no sense of community. If I can just be honest, this semester has been hard. I MISS my Cleveland family. I MISS my best friends. I MISS my fiancé. These are all of the people that made up my community, accountability, encouragement, challenge…the list could go on. I’ve been without them this semester, and I haven’t enjoyed it. I’m used to being at my house and having people CONSTANTLY come in and out. I’m used to late night/all night hang outs. No worries, they were always clean…but LOTS of fun memories. The only real alone moments that I had were when I got up earlier than everyone else for that specific purpose. All of that to say that this semester I have definitely been unplugged when it comes to the community aspect.

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Leaving Cleveland would have been hard regardless of the circumstances or what I was leaving for, but this semester could have been easier if I had given more effort to be plugged in here. Accountability is important. Discipleship is important. Quality time with others is important. I am sad as I look back at my excuses this semester. I refuse to let the excuses continue. Do you have an accountability partner? Are you investing in anyone? Are you allowing anyone older and wiser to pour into you? Are you encouraging others? Are you allowing others to encourage you? I’ve realized the importance of these things because they have been missing. I hope that you, reader friends, are experiencing the blessing of community.

 

Shaped by Grace,

Jessica