Set Your Heart Right

The Best Is Yet To Come

As I sat down to pre-write this lifestyle blog post on community, I was listening to the My City Church worship team at Ralston High School. This was an apt opportunity for me to reflect on the meaning of community and how I experience the atmosphere of love, not condemnation, at my church home.

My church, as a term, signals investment. Investment signals action. And when my action no longer met the value I find at My City, it was time to reflect, and then recommit, to My City Church.

Writing down a pro-con list of the reasons to stay or leave my church home led to the clear realization that the people’s names inked on paper told the story. Of memories made. Of prayers shared. And clarity that the church community was living out the theology and core beliefs in the Bible as the Word of God.

Simply put, I needed to view my perspective on the Church with a fresh pair of eyes and a willingness to seek clarity and re-engage with people I love.

As a reader, you may wonder why this first section is taking on a personal tone. Community is personal, and my hope is that if you are struggling to reconnect or connect for the first time in a church home, you will find value in the process I used. A list created to commit to a church that has treated me with love, compassion, and hugs, while helping me challenge and grow in my beliefs and values.

COMMUNITY

Community is a word often used, but more importantly, there needs to be a genuine sense of an atmosphere conducive to support growth and challenge to live up to each person’s fuller potential.

For me, I find community ties my heart and my head as a wraparound to places I spend my time, energy, and money, along with conviction. As I started to write this on Good Friday, this blog post is being finished post Easter. The Eggstravaganza was held, where thousands of eggs were placed on Ralston High School's football field. Kids of varying ages filled their baskets with candy and perhaps a prize ticket. Adults had a chance to serve, and observe the fun, while munching on cotton candy, hotdogs, and snow cones. This event typifies the maxim that the whole is much greater than the sum of its parts.

SHARED PERSPECTIVES

Church is not the only place to find a body of believers in action. Our church serves, while members strive to be leaders in life.

“For where two or three come together in my name, there I am with them.”  Matthew 18:20 (NIV)

My thought is that our church actively seeks to serve Our God, with others, linking arms in determination to reach this city. That reflection reminds me that community can be found in many ways that build upon the central tenets of our core beliefs.

FELLOWSHIPS AND THE FAM

Our church community radiates and seems to resonate with the notion that real issues such as anxiety, depression, financial challenges, and marital counseling can and are in fact shared. This open heart and open hands approach sets a refreshing tone of living life with others. Addiction and recovery are real. Mental health challenges can be improved and breakthroughs happen in all areas of life. If you are longing for true community in addition to being connected to a local church, here are some other Christian-based and other types of support groups you can join in the Omaha area:

Support Groups in the Omaha Metro area:

Al-Anon – for the families and friends of alcoholics.

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) – a fellowship for people seeking to stop drinking and recover from the multi-generational family disease of alcoholism.

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) – a support group designed and led by men and women who struggle with mental health challenges.

Safe Harbor – a peer run crisis diversion program located in Omaha. A warm line welcomes callers 24 hours a day and guests are welcome.

Fitness Communities:

F3 – A free men’s outdoor workout group focused on fitness, fellowship, and faith, plus leadership, life lessons and networking.

Females in Action (FiA) – A free women’s outdoor group. Workout locations are not publicized for safety reasons.

The YMCA – A family-focused community gym located in the Heartland and throughout the nation.

Value Driven. Faith Living.

Knowing where to seek community is part of your life’s adventure. Properly valuing community leads to blessings. The My City Church family of believers set an example of peace, prayer, action and servant leadership, in a loving community. It's time to set your heart right - forgive others, find community, and live your best life in Christ!