Community has always been something I craved. Something I desired. Living life alongside others just seemed right, comfortable, rewarding. Even in my childhood, the value of neighbors held a strong place in my heart. 

Over the past twelve years, I have only lived in 2 houses. Eleven of those years were spent on one quiet cul-de-sac with 19 homes. I started out home ownership as a single girl with roommates, traded in roommates (and a cat) for my husband, and eventually welcomed home 4 baby boys.

Our sweet little street started out with just a handful of kids, those kids got bigger, and new babies were welcomed, and our once quiet street quickly became a bustle of activity. Come 4pm, after naps and snacks and the blazing heat had subsided, you could find all us mommy's awaiting our husbands arrival as our kiddos rode their bikes and scooters up and down the street. It was quite picturesque. 

We were fortunate enough to call these neighbors friends, and were frequently welcomed into each others homes for play dates, dinners, holiday get togethers, front yard vacation bible schools, and even a bible study for the mommy's. It was a safe, comfortable, predicable little neighborhood that we had grown to love. 

And then, we decided to move for my husband to pursue a new career. 

We decided to say goodbye to the "cookie cutter" neighborhood. We decided to buy a fixer upper on 2 acres. We decided to buy it without me ever seeing it in person. We decided to completely start over. 

One thing I have learned from leaving the "comfortable" and stepping into the unknown, is that God has bigger plans for you than you have for yourself.

We bought our house SOLELY for the property. We could envision our boys growing up with endless adventure, and that's what we desired.  We were excited for the "elbow room" this property would give us, but since this wasn't a "neighborhood" we were moving into, we weren't sure what to expect from the people surrounding us. But, God knew, and He had set it all up...just for us (it seemed).  

He knew we would be lonely. He knew we wouldn't have any family. He knew we craved community. He knew that the people already established on this street would be a gift to us, and allow our little family to feel at home, much sooner than we were expecting to. 

We've now been on either end of the spectrum...we've welcomed new neighbors and we've been the new neighbors, and connecting with the people around us, actually living alongside them, not just physically, but emotionally, and if you're lucky, spiritually, your home will be much more full because of it.

Here are some ideas for connecting with your neighbors that we have implemented, and has brought fullness to my heart over the years.

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There it was again. The third time this week that the words, "You don't love me!" had come bursting out of his mouth.  

It caught me off guard the first time he said it, and I remember casually responding with "Of course we love you. Don't say that." 

But it happened again. And again. Always in the middle of a tantrum, always when he wasn't getting his way. 

My husband and I thought we had a light bulb moment one day while discussing this new phrase coming out of our son's mouth. MAYBE we had created this false sense that "love" was supposed to have the end result of "feeling good", "being happy." We weren't shining light on the fact that love rebukes, love disciplines, love bears all things....you know, the stuff that doesn't always look OR feel good.

Aha! That MUST be it. That must be why he always says "You don't love me," when he's being asked to leave the table for poor manners, or when he's corrected for snatching a toy out of his brother's hand, or when he looses a special privilege because of his disobedience, (or even when he throws a fit because he has to wear shoes he doesn't like to school). He thinks love is supposed to work in his favor.

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only son. That whoever believes in Him would not perish but have eternal life."

The very verse he had memorized the week before was going to be this momma's go to verse to solve this problem. I was going to open that Bible, explain how Jesus died on the cross because of His love for us...that it didn't feel good...it was painful and he was all alone, that it didn't make him happy...it brought darkness and separation from his Father. But it was all because He loved us and wanted a way for us to spend forever with Him in Heaven.

Several years ago, I was asked to share my testimony at a women's gathering at church. The topic was "Loving Your Husband," and as I read back through my words recently, I realized that they are still true to our marriage today. And if I dare to guess, I think they will always be true.

​Loving our spouse is intentional, it is work, and it is WORTH IT!!