Simple thought today:

You don’t know how deep your community is with people until you’ve waded your way through genuine conflict. Conflict is a part of life, so if it ends your community or puts up walls within it, your community isn’t as deep as you thought.

Shauna and I recently waded through some conflict with dear friends—tears, anger, confession and all—only to find prayer, forgiveness, trust, hugs, and light on the other side. Real community.

Until you’ve waded through conflict, you may just be in love with the idea of community, not community itself.

Real community is rare.

Beautiful. Messy.

Real community bears the scars of Jesus.

Period.

Jesus, thank you for our community.