Last night Robert and I had a wonderful time at our weekly home group meeting. We always do. It’s a sweet evening of fellowship, food, and Biblical discussions. Most of us have been in this same group for quite some time now and it feels just like a family — and it is.
It’s a church family. And just like any other family, there are all kinds of characters who have different opinions, experiences, social status, and jobs. We don’t always agree on everything, however, we love each other because we’re connected by the blood of Jesus. Each of us has the same Father in heaven, which makes us brothers and sisters. How cool is that? We’re a family.
Everybody needs a family 
— people to laugh with, cry with, eat with, share thoughts with, pray with, and do life with. A family is there when you need comfort or encouragement, and when you want to celebrate or need to grieve. Of course, people are people and no one is perfect, but learning to accept each other for who they are is part of being a family.
In my younger days I used to like being more independent and thought that leaning on others was a weakness. I believed I could handle things myself and wanted to be strong and self-reliant. Until I couldn’t.
Life happened and I tried to do it with just Jesus and me but I wasn’t able to. He urged me to ask for help and revealed in His Word that needing others isn’t a weakness but an asset. (1 Thes.5:14; 1 Cor.12:27; Rom.12:10; Heb.12:12) Opening up my heart to others was hard at first and it took some time, but it’s been such a joy doing life with my “family.”
Father God knew what He was doing when He created us and called us His children — everybody needs a family.
I strongly recommend you find a church home if you don’t have one already and join a local family of believers. With many people not living in the same area of their natural family (and perhaps may not want to) a church family is an awesome support system and a place for camaraderie. Get involved and do life with them. And having Jesus in the middle of it makes it even better.
(by Cyndi)