Sailing in convoy

If you haven't had opportunity yet to hear Carl Kimbro's story, it's a good investment of 20 minutes: https://www.convoynwa.org/audio/2018/3/6/trusting-god

The subject line for this week's note may seem redundant to you. "We changed our name to Convoy - I get it. Cool quote, boat pictures, yeah, we've heard it." The thing is, I heard something in Carl's story that I need to be reminded of on a fairly regular basis. Things started looking up once Carl and his wife located a couple of people who had been where they were and were willing to walk through their stuff with them. No judgment, no quick fixes, no simplistic Sunday-school answers.

We often have to get to a breaking point before we will accept that kind of help because Satan feeds us a ton of lies to keep us isolated. "Nobody will understand." "This is too embarrassing to share." "I can figure it out myself." "If I ask for help, that means I'm a weakling." "If people find out about this, they won't respect me." It's like the lioness watching for the zebra that has strayed from the group - we're easy prey when we go it alone.

"Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."  - 1 Peter 5:8

Finally, we get sick and tired of being sick and tired. Out of desperation, we cry out for help. If we are crying out to God, He often shows up in the person of a faithful brother, or a handful of them, who come alongside to offer perspective, wisdom, friendship, encouragement, and a safe place to unload some of the burden. That is sailing in convoy. The mentality that acknowledges that our Creator made us to walk this thing out in community and the belief that we are better together.

"Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."  - Ecclesiates 4:12

I am hearing two sides to this equation. Sometimes I am the one in need of care, and sometimes I am the one who is equipped, through something I have experienced - good, bad, or ugly, who gets to minister. For me this has looked like investing, listening, praying, and speaking life into the heart of a brother. In long-running relationships, these roles may flip-flop many times as we walk the path together. Sometimes I pick him up, sometimes he picks me up. The Spirit is teaching me to look for and embrace such opportunities in both my struggles and my strengths. Nothing goes to waste with Him (2 Corinthians 1:3-7).

Run to the fight this week in the strength of His Name!