The Gift of Community

The Crossroads Board Retreat and National Conference came at a strange time for me. It was sandwiched in-between other travel, in the middle of my busiest time of year both personally and professionally, and I found that as I hopped on the plane I didn’t feel ‘prepared.’ If you’re like me, you always have these really ambitious ideas before retreats, and expect that you’ll be rested, full of ideas, and running on caffeine and excitement. I got to Atlanta feeling a little bit more like: whew, I made it.

In the sweet way the Lord has of surprising us, the weekend ended up being just what I needed. It refreshed for me why we do what we do: the need for guidance during the tough moments in your career and someone to point you back to God is crucial. Above and beyond that, it was a great post-lockdown reminder to me of the importance of community. We’ve all heard it said: no man is an island. No offense to John Donne, but I think the bible says it better in 1 Thessalonians 5:14 when it says, “And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone.”

Crossroads exists in large part to encourage the disheartened and to help those feeling weak. Connecting with people who have served with Crossroads from all over the country and many of whom have been involved longer than I have really renewed my excitement for this cause. We are providing quality services, many of which are free, to people in some of the darkest moments in their lives… and now we’re doing it in a pandemic with a crazy job market.

The community we give to others is really important, but more than that I was reminded that I, Becca, need community. It was such a gift to me to hear people’s stories, to hear their heart for the ministry, and to hear what God is doing through Crossroads in their churches, ministries, small groups, and one-on-one coaching. I left the weekend feeling renewed in my purpose within the board, the ministry, and here on this blog that what we’re doing is vital. Even seeing the board in person after 2 years of ‘floating heads’ on Zoom filled me up.

So, I left feeling reminded of the importance of community as the body of Christ. That we are to carry each other’s burdens and keep each other built up. Proverbs 17 says that “a joyful heart is good medicine” and I’m thankful for each of our attendees, volunteers, hosts, and my fellow board members for giving me that: a joyful heart. My encouragement to each of you coming off of this weekend is this: live in community. God called us to work together for a reason. In 2 Corinthians 8:14 it says, “Right now you have plenty and can help those who are in need. Later, they will have plenty and can share with you when you need it. In this way, things will be equal.” Whether you are in a season of plenty or one of need, press into your community of fellow believers and I truly believe you will be encouraged.

Becca Christensen is a Crossroads Career Board Member and the editor of this blog since 2020. She recently moved into accounting within the automotive industry. She’s an avid reader, an enthusiastic football fan, and competitive at any and all board games.