Family relationships are so vital. They can provide love and support as we navigate through the ups and downs of life. But, everyone may not be fortunate to have a loving natural family where care and support are ongoing. So, where do you turn? Yes, we know with God in our life, we are not ever alone, but a friendly face we can gaze upon is always welcoming. That’s why having a spiritual family can make an enormous difference in our well-being. I have a loving natural family, great children, and I thank God for “My Other Family!”
One of my most significant concerns was finding a church with a loving spiritual family, as I left in New Jersey when I moved to Georgia. Well, God blessed me with a beautiful, loving spiritual church family. After joining the church, which is a story for another day, I lost my dear mother a year later. The love and support I received from Pastor, First Lady, and my church family were phenomenal.
Additionally, my First Lady immediately adopted me as her daughter with all a daughter’s rights and privileges. Wow! On the day of the funeral, when I looked at my Pastor, First Lady, and over twenty of my sisters, brothers, and elders from my church, I was totally in awe. They traveled over three hours to the countryside in Alabama to support my family and me. So amazing! “My Other Family!”
Hence, there have been other times when my spiritual family has been right by my side supporting, comforting, and loving me. I have countless memories of support from “My Other Family!” in Georgia. There is never a time that I have to be in need or want naturally, emotionally, or whatever.
Also, I thank God for the spiritual family I left in New Jersey. Although I am no longer there, the genuine love and support they yet render me are exceptional. Whenever I solicit their support, they never fail to give it. Family is so important on all levels-natural and spiritual. The combination of both natural and spiritual makes life’s challenges more tolerable.
In conclusion, there are many types of families, some loving and functional while others are dysfunctional. But, if God has given you a spiritual family, you are so very blessed. No one can ever take the place of your natural-born family, but a spiritual family can fill in the gaps to give you a needed support system. I thank God for both families, natural and spiritual. The combination yields superb results. Do you have any stories about your spiritual family you would like to share? We would love to hear them. If you don’t have a church home, be encouraged to seek God for one to add to your family. I thank God for “My Other Family!” Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! Psalms 133:1. I’ll be back next week with a new post, “Pity or Praise Party?”
Be encouraged, and God bless!
Sister Jackie
Hello Jackie and all other participants
I too have a loving and phenomenal blood born family.
I also have a warm and close relationship with my spiritual family.
Sometimes it’s hard to tell which one is which.
Because God has favored my natural family, in that ALL
are born again believers, we are twice related.
I have also been adopted in a third family; the Crawford’s. Boy am I blessed and highly favored.
It’s God’s desire that each of us know how much we are irrevocably loved by Him. However, His will is that we are also connected with others to share the great love within each of us. We have the capacity to love many.
I challenge each reader to find someone that is void of a natural family/spiritual family/friend and drench them with the love of The Father. Very soon, we are entering a season of extreme joy or extreme loneliness and isolation. (Thanksgiving and Christmas) Let’s go out of our way to show love and kindness to those that are in dire need of it.
God will be glorified.
Blessings
What a tremendous challenge! I accept it. Everyone needs someone to love and care for them. When we are void of having love and care naturally and spiritually, the love of God will supply all we need. God bless you, and yes, you are a loved member of the Crawford family! Thank you so much for sharing these sweet words of comfort—Heaven smile upon you with love, grace, and mercy.
Wonderfully stated. It is a blessing to have both natural and spiritual families, for they give bond and nourishment to different aspects of our lives. And when one may not be connected to their natural family, by no fault of their own, may not even know who they are, it is there that God gives us an adopted family also(legally or just connected by their hearts), it is also a blessing, …So some of us get a double adoption, first in receiving an adopted family, then when we are adopted into the “Family of God”. And there are those that have no legal family that they know of, or have relationship with. BUT God creates unbreakable bonds and relationships in giving these God-sisters and God-mothers, God-families, and these can sometimes be even closer than blood family, and in some respect, also closer than spiritual families.
Thanks again for sharing such a thought provoking topic. Because healthy “family” relationships and connections are very important to our mind and spirit, to our well-being. And I touch and agree with your invitation to them that are in need of “family” in every way that God has intended for us to have family, for He alone can place us rightly in “family”.
I truly am grateful for “ALL” of my family in every area of my life, for it is truly a blessing to have, and I take none of them for granted…
Glad we are “family”!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes, thank God for families. No matter how the connection comes- naturally, adopted, or spiritually. I could not imagine being without one. Thank you so much for those heartfelt comments. Yes, I am glad through the blood of Christ; we are family. God bless and keep you in His loving family!