This week has sort of blown my mind, really!  People from all walks of life, from all around the world coming together to help other people, to welcome them.  It’s the time of year we think a lot about our family, a really good thing!  What is interesting is that we have a new family too.  The Scriptures talk about our new family being the kingdom of God, not just our blood relatives.  It’s those that are related to us through a different blood.  We were all outside this family, but because of Jesus, we have access to the same Father, the same Spirit.    

Even if you don’t believe in the Scriptures, let me show some evidence from this week of the new family I am talking about: 

Sunday, I watched hundreds of people pull together to help provide for local elementary kids and families that they have never and may never meet.  Welcome to the family neighborhood. 

Sunday night, I watched people from literally all around the world in several different languages come online and respond to an offer for a new life.  They experienced community online with strangers that had nothing in coming and everything in common, shared struggles, prayers and passion.  Welcome to the family Irish, Japanese, American. 

Monday, I spoke with forty teachers at a local school to talk about how to work together to take care of families that are experiencing hardship.  Our church bought them lunch.  Welcome to the family teachers. 

Sunday, I heard a friend open up to a group of strangers at church about how she has been sober for a week.  Welcome to the family friend. 

Sunday, I watched friends write letters to soldiers half way around the world thanking them and inviting them to Church Online. Welcome to the family soldiers. 

That same day, I saw three families come together to talk about how to provide a Thanksgiving meal for a single neighborhood mom that they heard about but didn’t know.  Welcome single mom. 

This week we got a call from a local refugee agency asking for coats for hundreds of refugees new to the US that are freezing this week without coats.  People are already jumping on the opportunity.  Welcome refugee families. 

So think about it.  It doesn’t matter who you are, how you got here, what church you go to, or what your last name is, you are a part of a bigger family and you are welcome!  When you think about family this next week, think about who else may be included. 

How can you include them?  How can you welcome them and let them know they are family?  Does this change the rules for who is family??

Once, I went through this phase where I didn’t know if life was really worth living or not.  A lot of people don’t know that about me, but its true.  It’s not that I didn’t want to live at all, its more that I was having a tough time seeing past things.  Circumstances would come in and they would be so close, I couldn’t see through them- sort of like if you hold your hand up in front of your face, you can’t see around it.  You ask yourself, “Is this all there is???”  

As time goes on that thing, that circumstance, has a little bit of distance from you.  You can see it for what it is, acknowledging that it is still there.  Still, its there, but you can see it now and actually identify what it is.  It doesn’t have to fully control who you are or how you live your life.  It’s not you; its something you’re dealing with and can get through.

So, is there a circumstance or event that you are having a hard time getting past?  See if you can name what that thing is, take the hand away from your face and ask yourself what it is.  Know that nothing is too big to work through or overcome.  The thing may not go away tomorrow, but at least you can make the decision to work through it.  Ask yourself “what do I not have any control over?”  Then, pray and stop worrying about what you can’t change.  Next, ask yourself, “what do I have control over?”  Then, pick a few steps  to take to help yourself get past that thing.  Pray.  Tell a few people what you’re doing.  Then, make a change!

What have you had to overcome?  How did you get past it?  What role did prayer play?