{"id":3588,"date":"2021-04-09T03:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-04-09T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shop.honestreflections.net\/?p=3588"},"modified":"2021-03-27T06:59:34","modified_gmt":"2021-03-27T11:59:34","slug":"how-your-village-will-make-you-stronger","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/index.php\/2021\/04\/09\/how-your-village-will-make-you-stronger\/","title":{"rendered":"How Your Village Will Make You Stronger"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2 minute read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/shop.honestreflections.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/April-9-1024x996.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3589\" width=\"331\" height=\"322\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/April-9-1024x996.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/April-9-300x292.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/April-9-768x747.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/April-9-1536x1493.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/April-9-2048x1991.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 331px) 100vw, 331px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Daily Reading: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Deuteronomy%2023&amp;version=GW\">Deuteronomy 23 GW<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Philemon&amp;version=GW\">Philemon GW<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Proverbs%2010&amp;version=GW\">Proverbs 10 GW<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Find your village, find your strength.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jesus lived in a small community, Nazareth, population 400.&nbsp; He understood the intimacy of sharing life closely with a group of people. Everyone needs a village.&nbsp; People who surround you and walk with you through the ups and downs of life.&nbsp; People who show up when no one else does.&nbsp; Individuals who have different gifts yet come together as one body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Raised in the village of Tidal, God gave me one of my greatest strengths.&nbsp; He surrounded me with Christ-following people right from the start.&nbsp; We didn\u2019t all go to the same church, but we all followed the same God.&nbsp; Tidal residents were and still are Christ in the flesh to me.&nbsp; From caring for skinned knees as a child, helping me deal with my dad\u2019s illness and death as a teenager, to putting flowers on my parent\u2019s graves when I couldn\u2019t, they\u2019ve supported me my entire life.&nbsp; When life cripples me, they help me get back on my feet.&nbsp; God created us to live in close community with others.&nbsp; Geographical distance doesn\u2019t cut the ties that bind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Life is a relay race.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To run the race of life, you need help.&nbsp; God never intended us to journey through life alone.&nbsp; When we can no longer carry the baton, someone else will.&nbsp; Developing a network of people around you is mandatory to fulfill your purpose.&nbsp; We need people in our lives to carry us when we can\u2019t walk.&nbsp; Life will knock you off your feet by times.&nbsp; Everyone does.&nbsp; God willing, when that happens, you will have a village to pick you up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Begin today developing your village. Jesus intentionally chose His companions.&nbsp; You can select yours too.&nbsp; Join a small group Bible study.&nbsp; Surround yourself with people who are following Jesus.&nbsp; Enjoy the benefits of having a village.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"750\" src=\"https:\/\/shop.honestreflections.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/bookcover.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4819\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/bookcover.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/bookcover-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/bookcover-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Three-Word-Prayers-Everyday-Living-ebook\/dp\/B09JT3B6CW\/ref=sr_1_2?crid=18UKNZFIIDIEA&amp;dchild=1&amp;keywords=three+word+prayers&amp;qid=1635775169&amp;sprefix=three+word+prayers%2Caps%2C69&amp;sr=8-2\">Check out my new release on Amazon<\/a>. Learn how I used prayer to control my emotions and develop healthier relationships in my life. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lord, thank You for creating us for community.&nbsp; Forgive us for taking our villages for granted.&nbsp; Instead, help us develop strong relationships that last a lifetime.&nbsp; Like Jesus did, help us wisely choose who we surround ourselves with each day.&nbsp; Help us run our part of the relay race well, give us someone we can hand off the baton when needed.&nbsp; All glory is Yours.&nbsp; IJNIP. Amen<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Question for reflection<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">Who is in your village?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>2 minute read. Daily Reading: Deuteronomy 23 GW; Philemon GW; Proverbs 10 GW Find your village, find your strength. Jesus lived in a small community, Nazareth, population 400.&nbsp; He understood the intimacy of sharing life closely with a group of people. Everyone needs a village.&nbsp; People who surround you and walk with you through the&hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/index.php\/2021\/04\/09\/how-your-village-will-make-you-stronger\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">How Your Village Will Make You Stronger<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3588","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","without-featured-image"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3588","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3588"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3588\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3591,"href":"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3588\/revisions\/3591"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3588"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3588"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3588"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}