#149: Spiritual Health: Overcome challenges in finding community with Rachael Wade

Learn three easy places to find community, one sign you're open to community, and two simple ways to encourage your friends. If you're lonely and ever wondered how to find community and belonging, listen in to Grace In Real Life Episode 149 with Rachael Wade. God Himself is in community, being a part of the Trinity. He designed families as a way for people to be loved, supported, and strengthened. And then, He placed those families into tribes, cities, communities, and nations. Throughout the Old and New Testaments, God talks about community and friendship and the values of both. We may not think of hanging out with other humans as a spiritual discipline, but to God, togetherness, belonging, and support are critical to following Him and growing in grace. So, where do you find your people? How do you make time for community when your schedule is full of work, picking-up and dropping-off kids, volunteering, and running a house? What do you do when you're trying to connect but still feel lonely? Because finding a community where you feel like you belong leaves us wondering where to start, I invited Rachael Wade to the show. Today, Rachael walks us through: Three easy places to find community, How to find time for community when your schedule is crazy, And three ways to honor and encourage your friends.   How to find community as an adult "If you want community, you need to have a posture open to receive community." - Rachael Wade "To be open toward having multiple sources of community, where you're pouring in, and you're getting poured out, is essential." - Rachael Wade "I'm a firm believer in going first." - Rachael Wade What to do when you're lonely "I'm a firm believer in going first." - Rachael Wade "Get curious when you're in those lonely seasons." - Rachael Wade If you'd like to learn more about finding community in your real life, go here: Why perfectionists hate community Grace says you are free #147: One ridiculously easy way to spread the gospel with Twyla Franz #134: Grace-based Friendship: Friendship + the Introvert with Yohonna Smith #132: Grace-based Friendship: Making friends as an adult with Susan Seay   Sign up here for A Holy Hush A Holy Hush: Reflections for Lent is a multi-part series sent only to those who sign-up and will offer simple reflections on the final days, death, and resurrection of Christ. When you sign up, you'll receive a short audio reflection in your inbox beginning Ash Wednesday and then every other Wednesday, as well as Palm Sunday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and Easter Monday.  By signing up, you'll also be added to Jill's weekly email newsletter, the good + the grace. Sign up here for A Holy Hush.   Key quotes about making friends and finding community "Lord, in this season, who are the friends I need to spend time with and pour into and check in on?" - Rachael Wade "Embracing your limitations is also really huge." - Rachael Wade "When you care about people, and you're in friendship together, they deserve the right to have your honest communication, even when it doesn't feel good." - Rachael Wade "Shame, guilt, and lies are all ways the enemy can try to isolate us from the truth and community." - Rachael Wade "To fight the battles that are in this life, we need to have people around us." - Rachael Wade "God takes us into new seasons and new assignments, and not everybody comes with us." - Rachael Wade "Encourage what you see and the experience you have on the other side of them." - Rachael Wade "To see people is one of the greatest ways we can show people the love of God. Through showing up and honoring one another is by remembering, by being curious, by circling back." - Rachael Wade   As Mentioned in the Podcast The FCC requires that I tell you that I'm an Amazon Affiliate, which means I earn a bit of commission on each sale. But don't worry; there's no added cost to you! Enneagram Two Susan Seay Shundria Riddick A Holy Hush: Reflections for Lent   About Rachael Wade Rachael is a wife, mom of two, seminary student, writer, and teacher, who is passionate about encouraging and equipping men and women with the word of God.  She believes in the power of the "in process" everyday story. For this reason, she created Olive Us, a ministry where women recount to remember the goodness and faithfulness of God.  Rachael faithfully serves at Camp Well, an experience for women who sit in the tension of being too much and not enough, and on the teaching team at Epic Church in San Francisco.  When Rachael isn't leading, teaching, and writing on her "Seeds of Encouragement" blog, she's hanging out in her comfy pajamas at home with her family, enjoying a nice charcuterie board. Here's how to connect with Rachael Website  Instagram Facebook Olive Us Camp Well Here's how to connect with Jill Website  GraceInRealLifePodcast.com  Instagram  Subscribe to Jill's weekly "the good + the grace" email