Community

Continuing to stay intentional about creating community is sometimes difficult when living in the same town as other people. Challenges grow when friendships begin to span the state, country, and even the world. During my time in college and Romania, I was blessed to meet many new people, to form friendships, and to invest in each other's lives. In the midst of those seasons and as they concluded, people scattered. At first it was friends who were a class ahead in college. In Romania, it was roommates, colleagues, and dear friends that left the locale where we met. In each situation, I too found myself in the place of the one leaving instead of the one staying behind. With people moving across the state or to the other side of the globe, it seems there must be better ways than facebook to stay connected.

This month, I've had the opportunity to connect with friends in my city, state, country, and world. In each relationship we've worked to find unique ways to communicate. With friends in the same city I went for a walk this afternoon and dropped to give a hug to another friend. Skype has become a great tool to use when connecting with friends in Pennsylvania and Budapest (at the same time). I love being able to chat while I'm driving home late at night with friends in Los Angeles.

Intentionality. Choices. Relationships don't maintain themselves. They take work. As I consider what I hope community might look like in my life now that I live in St. Paul, MN, I'm trying to find new ways of connecting with people, investing in them, and inviting them into my life. It's scary to look at beginning again, but I know it's what God is calling and leading me to do.

What does your community look like? How are you stepping out in faith in this area?