The former young adults who once attended eventually stopped coming altogether or ended up leaving due to relocations and different life changes like walking away from the church, a lack of interest, or getting married and having children. So I’ve been riding solo for a while.
When I realized this, a growing desire to connect with other like-minded believers in my age group began to nag at me. I didn’t have a lot of committed Christian friends nearby I could identify with, confide in, or relate to. For years, I’d been praying about where I could find community with a group of women I could connect with who were also Christians (but still knew how to have some fun every now and then) and who lived for the Lord (but also weren’t rigid, preachy, or obnoxious about their faith). In college I had a brief season with a group of young women who kind of fit what I was looking for, but many of them were in their early twenties, and since I was older than all of them, I felt out of place -- alot. So when that season ended, I decided to do some church hopping in an effort to find a nice women’s group. And I got nowhere. I eventually gave up and stopped looking, and then one day, I received a text from a close friend:
Hey girl! My church is doing a women’s study every other Tuesday night if you are interested in joining 😊
At the time, I honestly didn’t feel like committing to it. I’d just started working a new job and was still settling into my new home, so did I really want to attend this women’s group? I wasn’t so sure. And then it hit me. Simone, this is exactly what you were praying about and asking God for years ago. Just go.
So I made myself go and guess what? I had a great time. God may not always answer our prayers in the timeframe we’ve desired, but when He does come through, it’s refreshing to experience what He’s had in mind.
The women in this group have all been warm, friendly, and inviting. We've broken bread together, reflected on scripture together, and have continually prayed for one another, which has been refreshing too. Though I'm still getting to know everyone in the group, I'm grateful for the opportunity to fellowship with women who love the Lord. While I still have my home church, it's nice being able to get together with a group of women I can relate to and connect with.