So I don’t know if I’ve ever told y’all about my church ladies… I just had to take a deep breath and think really hard for a few minutes because I really don’t know where to start. When we moved to Greenwood, I knew I would make friends (Have you MET ME? Kidding. Sort of.) But I had no idea I would have so many close friends.
I talk about Sister Wife all the time, cuz HELLO, she’s Sister Wife— sharing everything but clothes and husbands since 2002! But y’all, I am the luckiest person I know because I have a whole little circle of friends who are Sister Wives. I am not even kidding when I say I have a GROUP of friends in this town who I could call right this very second and they would stop, drop and roll to get to my house and help me if I needed it. That— as much as anything that God has ever done in my life— amazes me.
The majority of these ladies go to church with me. And I don’t know why I’m so mushy tonight, but I feel so fortunate that I get to live my life with these people. Our kids go to school together, we go to yoga and the gym together, we run into each other at the grocery store, we pretend like we enjoy going to each other’s kids’ birthday parties. (I’m kidding– I love these ladies so much that I actually ENJOY their kids parties. No sarcasm. Really. I feel like you don’t believe me but I’m being serious.)
During the school year we meet once a week for Bible study– it’s more than that really. I’ve been trying for almost four years to put a name on what we do together. It’s like calling twerking, “dancing.” Not. The. Same. Thing. It’s a mixture of prayer, therapy and having coffee with your best friends. It’s amazing.
ANYWHO, we started up again a couple of weeks ago and we’re meeting at my house. Partly because I love having people in my home and partly because I knew that if everyone was coming here, if I try to go to my scary dark depression place, they’re all going to show up anyway and climb in the bed with me. When I get anxious and depressed, I avoid people, even the ones I love. I knew if I had everyone in my house it’d be a lot harder for me to isolate myself. (That seems sort of messed up, but whatever. I yam what I yam.)
We were talking a few weeks ago about worrying, about how the little anxieties of the day build up, and how we can lie in bed at night at let our thoughts steamroll into problems and circumstances that are probably never even going to happen. But we are still consumed by fear of what might come. My friend Anne Marie said when she feels like that she has to remind herself, “Grace will be there.”
Y’all— those words! They’ve played over and over in my head for two weeks.
GRACE WILL BE THERE.
A few days later, I stayed up almost all night writing and I scribbled those words on every page of my notes.
“Grace will be there.”
You want to know what I don’t EVER think about when I’m worrying about the future? Grace.
Mercy.
The kindness of people.
The fact that God, as I know Him, has not ever, not one time, ever, left me hanging. I’ve realized that most of the time I spend worrying it’s because I’m worrying about how I’m going to deal with “Insert Neuroses of Choice” alone— but I’m not alone.
I’ve got my family, more friends than a person deserves, and J-E-S-U-S. Whatever the future holds, “Grace will be there.”
That’ll preach, y’all.
I am so new in my town but I am hoping that I’ll have that circle soon and until then, I’ll keep holding on because it is so true. Grace will be there.
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Rock solid post! Thanks for the encouragement.
Didn’t realize you’re in Greenwood (SC, I presume). Got some family living there — and who knows, maybe Kitty’s in your sister wife group.
I’m in Greenwood MS! 😉
Let me start by saying, I saw your post in my facebook feed and wasn’t going to read this…I’m tired…I have things to do.
But, I read it. And I am thankful to you for writing it. And God for saying, hey, wait. Take a break and read this.
Wonderful post. Just what I needed to see at the right time. (Which God knew because he’s awesome like that.)
Thank you.
I needed this this morning. I teared up at the end. I’m actually more isolated in my life than ever, based on a series of changes that were out of my control. My neighbors have moved, friends have moved, church is on one end of town, my husband works on the other. I spend a lot of time by myself, with kids, talking to people on the internet. It’s lonely, even though I feel equipped to deal with it. Still, like you said, I forget about grace. I’m always thinking about what I can do to change the situation, and sometimes what I’m worrying about isn’t my job to fix. Thank you for reminding me that grace will be there. xo
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Thanks Robin – that post is just what I needed this week! My sweet uncle, with whom I share the same birthday (same day, different year) was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer. Since he never married I am acting as his legal agent and chief caregiver. It’s especially hard since we live in different cities. I need all the grace I can get right now! Thanks for reminding me that God will not leave me hanging either
I’m so glad for you, about the Sister Wives. Really, one of life’s most amazing gifts. I mean, from God. His Grace. Yes. I survive by way of it.
xoxo
Amen! This is what I needed this morning. Thank-you. I don’t know what made me pause to read this post (really I read everything you write, right?) but I felt a pull to open this one up this morning and I’m so glad I did. I needed some Grace to be with me today! I know He is, but it’s nice to have those words in the forefront of the mind. Thanks, Robin!
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Thank you, thank you, thank you. I had forgotten how grace moves ahead of us, and I needed that reminder today.
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Thank you for sharing this story!
I found this through BooMama’s link.
….and as she requested, I created a set of printables with your dear friend Anne Marie’s words.
http://thewestofwhatsaround.blogspot.com/2013/09/grace-will-be-there-printable.html
Beautiful. When I was working in the corporate world, in a “male dominated field”, women co-workers weren’t close. We didn’t have much of a bond because quite frankly we were all competing against each other. I never felt I had a very large “safe” group of women who would take care of me. When I quit and we went on our sailing trip, I was immediately thrust into a community that did look after its own and I was surprised and a bit put off at first. Until I learned to trust. When I returned back to the US I was again warmly embraced by a web of women who wanted to see me succeed. It was truly humbling. You are blessed.
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Its awesome that you have great Sister Wives to have a Bible study with. Some friends and I are trying to get together to do the same. I pray we are as blessed in our venture as you are.