I have been doing a fair bit of reflecting lately, into the past, into who I was 10, 5 or even 2 years ago. This has been predicated by two main events, maybe three
The first is that on this coming Tuesday I will be at the airport to farewell one of the most influential women in my life at the moment, after my family. For the last two years my emotional and spiritual growth has been the burden / responsibility of one Jodi Mac, and looking back to two years ago is a scary thing. It is going to be hard to say goodbye because I can see how far I’ve grown emotionally and spiritually in this last year, and more than that I can see how much farther I have to go now, and thanks so much to her I have learnt to not build barriers around myself, but instead to trust, to let people in, so that God can bring into my life more beautiful women who can inspire me and love me, and who I can love and serve in return, so that we can together fight to follow Christ. I am healthier because of God’s work through you Jodi Mac, thankyou for being you (and not just in terms of being a fitness freak who inspires me to physically healthiness, but for being someone who is willing to look inwardly, to be real about needing people, and to be excited about being a daughter lovingly made by the Creator).
The second is today my old credo small group (FINALLY) caught up. 2004, second semester, I had become a Christian earlier that year, but still thought I knew it all. These are the people who inspired me on in godliness and maturity, particularly to have guys who were so counter cultural - who valued relationships, who were loving and respectful towards women as sisters, and who sought to see people and themselves walk closer to God. Today I was reminded so much of the blessings of all these people in my life, even if I haven’t seen them in too long, the impact from almost 5 years ago is still working at me.
There are times when I am just so thankful for the weaknesses God has put in me, because they force me to need others, to be a part of the body of believers, rather than thinking I can go it alone. There are so many other people in my life who love and inspire me, listing them all would not give due honour to their place in my life, but if you seek to love people and build them up, then I just want to say thankyou. Thankyou for those with generous hearts and minds to give me a moment of your time, a hug when I need one, to buy me lunch when I’m low on cash. Thankyou for those who work up the courage to rebuke me in love, even though it hurts you and me, its a tear that heals stronger both in our relationship together and our relationships with God.
It reminds me of that bit in Hebrews ch10 : And let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works, not staying away from our meetings, as some habitually do, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
Thankyou for being my brothers and sisters as we throw off all that weighs us down or so easily ensnares so that we may run this race with our eyes fixed on Jesus.
In Him
Kat
