God Himself is a social being. He, as the Trinity, is three persons in one. And of course, He created man to be in relationship with Him as well.  According to Genesis Chapter 3, before the Fall, He “walked” in the garden with Adam and Eve.

Speaking of Eve ‘“ she was created because it is not good for man to be alone (Gen 2:18). Later, Solomon would write: “Two are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed.  If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But anyone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back to back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken” (Ecc 4:9-12).

Isn’t God a loving and wonderful Father?

He knows us well enough to tell us what is good for us.

Growing up, my dad was a Marine Corps officer.  We moved around like other military families.  People would ask, “Where are you from?”  And that was a tough question. “The South” was probably the best answer.  So I developed an easy going nature, a sense of humor, and I learned how to get along with most. That was the good part.

The bad part was, when things got tough, I would look for the exit. My friends might not have seen it, but I was pretty self-contained. I tried hard not to need anyone.  This way of relating to difficulties, and difficult people, continued into my adulthood.  My military journey also continued, and got harder, when my husband’s dental career took him into active duty service, first in the Navy and now in the Air Force.

God gave me a heartbreaking desert experience to teach me what it was like to feel completely alone‘¦this was my life for many, many years. Coming out of that time was not an abrupt end to the loneliness, or a quick sprint out of that dry place, but more of a painfully slow crawl.

Along that journey, I began to understand, in a real and very personal way, the constant comforting presence of the love of God. “Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you. Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (Is 41:10).

God’s Word was confirmed in my life because He demonstrated that I can absolutely rely on Him. More confirmation: I saw that, like Adam, I was not made to be alone‘¦not alone in a strange city, not alone in a crowded place, and not alone at church. We are made for community. “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them” (Matt 18:20).

It is an awesome promise, that we can experience the Lord’s presence by gathering in His name.  The same God who gave Adam a wife, Abraham a nation, and the world a Savior wants His children to connect to one another. Beyond spiritual fellowship, we are to provide for one another physically (James 1:27, Acts 2:41-47, Eph 5:22-33) and emotionally‘¦“Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near” (Hebrews 10:24-25).

From the beginning, I wanted this blog to be a team effort.  It took me three years and two moves to find the other writers.  You have already met Kortnee Leigh, who contributed last Friday and she is up next Friday too.  After that, Tracy will join us and alternate with Kortnee Leigh.  On Wednesdays, I have invited several friends to contribute to WWRL, What We’re Reading Lately, and I hope you will also chime in!

My blogging journey mirrors my life’s journey.  I have been blogging in relative isolation; it has felt like just me and the Lord.  When I gave up on collaborating, the Lord gave me a team.  More irony: the recent overhaul of my website.  It has been GirlsGrowingwithGod.com all this time.  Now that it is transitioning to BrittaLafont.com, I have finally found my writing partners.  The Lord has a great sense of humor!