Throughout the past three months, I have been learning what it looks like to live in constant community.
When I signed up for the race I knew that I would be living with my team for six months; a group of around five people. However, little did I know that on month three of my race my team and I would be placed at a ministry living with a whole other 11n11 squad.
For the past three weeks, I have been living in constant community with over FORTY PEOPLE. As intimidating as it was to find out we would be sharing our living space with over thirty adults, the Lord has shown up in the sweetest ways over the past few weeks. I am learning how to lay my pride and expectations at the door.
I would have never chosen to live with this many people, but it has been some of the best few weeks of my entire life.
So, what has it been like having forty people around me 24/7?
Throughout my time at Ocean’s Edge, God has showed me the kingdom in action every single day through the people around me. I have never felt more loved, supported, seen, and cared for.
One of my favorite parts about living with this many people is seeing all the different gifts that each of us brings to the table. I am surrounded by men and women who are boldly and fearlessly stepping into what the Lord has called them to and it is beautiful to watch. I am surrounded by prophets, intercessors, discerners, and worshippers. Uniquely crafted children of God who bring kingdom down by how they are walking out their calling. Many nights in our house are spent worshipping, interceding, and just praising the Father in unity. Two different squads worshipping one God! I can’t help but think that this is heaven on earth!
Worship and Prayer in Jaco, Costa Rica (here is a quick video showing one of our worship and prayer nights!)
The Lord is teaching me that there will be many times in my life where I have to choose in to community. I will always have the choice of how I will choose into the people in front of me. It would have been very easy throughout the past few weeks to resort to isolation and choose out from the community that I am living in. However, because I have chosen to be present where my feet are, God has taught me so much.
I have learned how to be interruptible, open to conversations even when I do not feel like talking. Throughout these weeks, some of the best conversations have happened while I have been tired or not wanting to enter into them. In addition, I have learned how to be present in every moment, choose into people, and seek out the best in those around me. The people around me are so incredible and each have the most beautiful stories! What a waste it would be if I didn’t take time to seek them out. To help us see God in each other, every week our house does an activity that we call “God Hunt.” We dedicate around fifteen minutes to just hearing what God is doing in each of our lives. This has been such an incredible and intentional time of seeking out the Lord in each other and continues to remind me of how incredible the people are me truly are!
Although my team and I leave in a week, I will take all of the things that I learned here with me. I am going to immensely miss this ministry and the squad that we have been doing life with. However, I am leaving this ministry with a better understanding of what it looks like to sacrificially love, seek out those around me, and see others as God sees them (even when it’s hard). So, as hard as it is to leave, I can only imagine what beauty will come from our next community!
I have learned that constant community is hard; especially with forty people. But even through the difficult, it has also been one of the most amazing things I have ever experienced. I have gotten to be surrounded by the most amazing group of men and women of God who push me every day to step into all that the Lord has for me.
After living in this beautiful community for a month, I can only imagine what it would look like if every day we sought out and chose into those around us. As Jesus followers, we are called to love wherever our feet are. You don’t have to wait until you’re living with forty people to love. So, don’t wait! Seek out those around you! It is one of the most rewarding things you could ever do.
