The Privilege of Fellowship

The end of summer! What a wonderful season of harvest. It has been a busy time, full of ministry opportunities and seeing prayers answered. But it has also been an encouraging time, seeing the fruit of God's faithfulness.

This summer marked four years since I left Japan after my DTS in 2012; four years of watching and waiting for the Lord, trying to be faithful in seemingly small things.

Of all the precious things in which he has been faithful to work, the glory of his family is the single most awesome one. He has been showing me that it is an unequaled privilege to be a part of his family.

When I was young, I saw fellowship like I saw classmates. We all happened to be in the same area, or classroom, learning about God, and being taught by the same teacher. We had each other to help with homework when questions came up and remind each other of what the assignments were. When we left the classroom, or had summer break, we weren’t together anymore because there weren’t any immediate tasks at hand. We only needed each other for certain things.

Back then, it was easy to feel like it was just me and Jesus, and that was all that mattered. It was easy to have all of my focus and attention on myself. Even serving in the church was just another means of serving myself; it was for my own religious gain most of the time. I thought that service would make God notice me above the "classmates".

But now, I am beginning to see more clearly: I need his family. Fellowship is so much more than friendship. What I did not know when I was ready to move to Japan earlier this year, with only $450 per month in financial support, was that I was ready to do it alone.

I remember when I first got home from my DTS and I was so disheartened from loneliness. I felt like finding community was impossible where the Lord had me. I began to look desperately for a new place to begin again, a place with some "better soil" where I could re-create what I had found in Japan.

I kept trying to leave and keep myself detached. Many days were difficult and painful. It felt like all my attempts at loving people and being loved were empty and unfruitful. I always wanted to give up.

But God wanted to change everything. He invited me into the work he wanted to do right where I was. He promised community, a place where loving and being loved were constant things. Still, I did not really believe he would do it.

Today, I would not trade all the adventure in the world for the companions I have now. I would not trade the time I've had with them for any spiritual gifting, spectacular ministry, or prophetic word. Growing with them and watching them grow has been the most rewarding thing I have ever experienced. God was faithful to fulfill his promise to me. My cup never ran dry, because he sustained me through the night.

We are so much stronger together than we are separated. We cover each other's weaknesses. There is no competition because we are all lifting each other higher up and pressing on together to see God's purposes in each other's lives. Each victory is a victory we share and every stumbling point is just another chance to be lifted up. We get to look at each other and see what God intended us to be.

The best part is having a family to bring the orphaned soul into. Through the Spirit of the living God, every need is met in the family and then the family is able to grow. The physical and spiritual gifts we have are to share, bringing people into the family of God. There they can experience his unrelenting love, and there the enemy's strongholds will not stand.

I hope that I get to leave love in this place. There is still a bit of time to be here and enjoy this fellowship before I move to Japan, but I want my friends and comrades to keep growing in love even when I'm not as close to them.

I still remember that day clearly, when I asked God if I could find a new church, new friends, and a new community. I had only been home from Japan for a month. With tears I asked him where I could go. He said to me so gently, "Angela. There is something very special that I am doing right here, and you can be a part of it if you want to."

Reluctantly I replied, "Yes. If you are doing something here, I want to be a part of it." We smiled at each other, my face full of unbelief and his lit up with anticipation and understanding. And now, four years later, we are laughing and singing together almost every day, remembering how far we've come. It was well worth the pain and grief, the frustration and the tears. This has been a spectacular ministry, and a great adventure. And my dream came true.