Tribe Life

No matter where you may consider yourself on the introvert-extrovert scale, none of us were created to do life in complete isolation from others.

People need people; it's how God made us.

There's something profoundly delightful about having a tribe, a group of people to count on no matter what.

I can walk into their house without knocking.  We can eat leftovers together or wear comfy old clothes, because there's no need to impress.

Conversations are real, deep, and lively, but silence is okay, too.  We can disagree - strongly sometimes - and not offend each other.

Their kids squish up next to me on the couch for bedtime stories.

We grocery shop together, share household chores, pile in the car for road trips, take naps in the heat of an African afternoon.

We celebrate holidays and life events.  We make memories together.

Even though they've never met some of my family, they care about them - and I care about theirs.

When things get tough, we rally around.  When there's an emergency, we call each other.  If I need something in the middle of the night, they're there.

We can talk about anything - expressing our thoughts and feelings without fear, yet knowing the others will speak truth into our lives when we need to hear it.

We know each other's quirks, childhood memories, embarrassing moments.

There's laughter, love, deep loyalty, belonging, the gift of being known.

There are big things like births and deaths that we've walked through together, but there are also a thousand ordinary moments - washing clothes in a tiled courtyard, swinging on the porch with the summer breeze, waiting for the rice to finish cooking.

Normal includes them.

A tribe is a safety net, a priceless gift, a valuable way the Lord sanctifies and challenges and grows us...

And I'm so thankful for the one He's given me.