Family Matters

Available for over a year

Spiritual reflection to start the day with Ennette C Lainchbury Good morning. A fun fact about me is that my brother was my very first answered prayer. It's such a special memory for me. And this year, I got to go to his wedding and celebrate this huge moment in his life, and it made me think of that very first time I'd dared to hope and pray for something when I was just four years old. It's coming to that time of year where when we start to think about seeing friends and family over the holidays, trying to slot everyone in. As much as I wanted a big family, my growing extended family is actually made up of a lot of fractured relationships, messy misunderstandings. Maybe you relate a little or a lot. Maybe this festive season highlights your lack of family more than anything. The reality is being human is hard. No one tests you quite like that family member that knows just what to say to get on your last nerve. And there's no jealousy, quite like that sneaky feeling of inferiority that creeps in all of a sudden when you meet up with your friend for that long overdue catchup and comparison steals all the joy out of the moment. However, you're approaching the coming holiday period, I am encouraged by the following Bible verse in Psalm 68, verse 6 “God puts the lonely in families.” I love that I get to see this verse come to life in the reality of my church. In my life, time and time again, the church is a place where I've come to and found friendship and belonging. It's not always perfect, mind you, but then again, who's family ever is? Despite its imperfections, today, I'm grateful for family in all its many forms, for friends who feel like family, for the church that is the family of God. Thank you, Lord, for all these people in my life, these signs of your grace. May my relationship with them be a mirror of my relationship with you. Amen.