How my Roots grew Deeper

We've been in Houston for close to 3 years now and thanks be to God, we have grown deep roots. Transition was no joke but I am glad to be on the other side, the happy side. I wrote a lot about feelings of isolation, hopelessness and distress. Today I am experiencing feelings of belonging, hope and joy. 

I love connecting with friends.

What changed? How did this happen? You may ask. Here are a few things that helped me:

• I stayed Positive. The fact that I was a good friend and I was going to find good friends was my focal point. I also stayed connected with mentors who encouraged me to find friends. Isolation was not an option. I made sure I was out there actively looking for friends and being a good friend.The same mind that housed depression was also able to think about a positive outcome.

• I overlooked the "No." I can't begin to tell you how many Nos I received to my invitations to hang out. A lot of times I opened my heart and what I got was a closed door. I learned to overlook these things because dwelling on the negative does not beget the positive. I learned to understand that for each No, God had a greater Yes for me. It doesn't matter that someone did not want to have lunch with me: God sent me a bunch of friends who will not only have lunch but breakfast, dinner and snacks.

• I found strong connections. I had a sense that people in the same season of life as myself would love to connect with me. God led me to MOPS which has been a life safer in many ways. I also got connected with my local group of bloggers, Merry Ministries and more recently with local runners. All of these strong connections have put life into living for me.

One of the greatest lessons I learned this past 3 years is that one organization cannot meet all my social needs. As a church girl I tend to think that my social life should revolve between sanctuary and Sunday School. I believe that Jesus didn't just reach out to sinagogue folk but he attended parties, hung out with tax collectors, had great lectures on top of mountains... He diversified his impact in His generation. I am encouraged to do the same. In order to make an impact for Jesus I need to broaden my horizons a little bit. 

I thank God for these past 3 years and the lessons I learned while our roots were growing deeper.