being fed in new ways

Just over a month ago my sister Catherine and I were part of the launch of a new ministry to women over at (in)courage.  Since then a group that has fluctuated a bit in number has tried to find community over at (in)spired as a closed group at Facebook.

There was an initial excitement as we got to know one another in this new way.  God was obviously up to something bigger than we expected.  Many of us couldn't step away from our computers for long because we just might miss something the first few days.

It was clear women over fifty were anxious for connection.  Social media is still foreign to many of us.  Some have had difficulty with trust (including the facilitators) in the internet world.  Others have had difficulty with time to be on social media or to be a part of a structured study.

Being the one who has a hard time with spontaneity, I suggested we do a study and why not the (in)RL one since this group is a ministry of (in)courage?  It became clear that direction was not the one God was leading us in.  Oh the study started some great conversations, but life got in the way and it was hard to keep the study moving in a consistent (and linear) way.

When we asked for honest feedback you could have heard a virtual pin drop, crickets chirp, clocks ticking...then one brave women said the study wasn't working for her, another said she appreciated knowing we were praying for one another, others appreciated that we were sharing our lives as parents, children, grandparents, artists, and children of God.  One bold and (in)spired lady suggested we follow the Acts 2 model of life together.

We listened and talked and prayed.  There are women who are part of the group who have never posted, not even once.  My sister (who at times is so much more in tune to others than I) reminded me this group is like an IRL group in that some will actively participate while others stand back and watch what goes on around them.  While they do not appear to be involved, they are being blessed by the interaction.

We are in fellowship, praying with and for one another,  and being fed in a way that many of us still struggle to be comfortable with.  Some of us participate more than others and even so,God is in the midst of this beautiful group of women over fifty who are creative and (in)spired children of God.

This group is bread in new forms for many of us as we learn how to be in community using means we are still learning to be comfortable with.  This bread may not look, feel, smell, sound, or taste like bread we are used to in this world past fifty, yet it is bread indeed.  Bread that nourishes us and brings us together in new ways.  

How are you being fed in the group this week?  Share here or on our Facebook page.