God's love in the company of friends

there was a time i couldn't find the words to describe why this place made my journey in life much more bearable than home. i had the same scars, the same wounds that would ache from time to time, and in some ways there was much more pressure and mental stress, especially when i was writing my thesis and trying to finish my degree and to finish well. 

and then i read a column by ronald rolheiser...he wrote that you encounter the love of God when you encounter others who abide in His Love [my paraphrase]. 

that's it. those are the words. that is why this place makes the ache from my wounds and scars less painful; easier to endure. it's because i am consistently encountering the love of God. from life's daily moments to my biggest experiences i am surrounded by God's love because i share life with people who are the embodiment of Christ's love for me.

today i recognize my need for my community and thank you for being Jesus with skin on. 

ps: i did not know this when i set out to write this, but ronald rolheiser is currently battling colon cancer. i ask you to partner with me in pray for this man whose writings have been a huge encouragement for me the past few years.