Tico Tuesday, July 31st

I did it! I finally remembered to take a picture with my small group!! This isn't all of us--I don't think all of us have ever been in the same place at the same time. If so, we wouldn't be a very small group. But, we have a good core, and we're managing. But soon, we'll have to figure out what to do. I finally feel like we've really started to jell and feel more comfortable with each other. Thanks be to God! It has been HARD work. But, slowly, God has been bringing us together.

So, I am grateful, and I am excited. We've started playing a few rounds of the game The Great Dalmuti after our official meeting is over. I think that has definitely helped. It's a game that helps bring out...authenticity... in people. I think it's also helped to have a "not so secret friend" as I've termed it. You draw a name from a hat and have to text that person at least once over the course of the week to send them a message of blessing or encouragement. It's been great seeing some people in the group taking initiative with each other. Last Wednesday was a holiday and one woman invited us over for homemade tortillas con queso (cheese tortillas). YUM! We often sit together in church and Sunday a few of us went out for lunch after service. I already had one member tell me we're her family. This week I was ended up doing some coaching/counseling via texting with someone that just came for the first time on Friday. It is beautiful to see what God is doing in us! This Friday we're going to plan a little baby shower for a family that adopted a little boy a few months ago. After the prayer vigil at church a couple weeks ago, I feel like God is going to do great things in and through us! It's amazing what God can do with a small group!
If you don't have something like this, I encourage you to do what you can to find or create it. Life is better in circles!
Thanks for keeping me in your prayers--our new series starts this coming weekend and, as I'm wont to be when a series is about to start: I'm swamped with work! Thank God for the new groups that are starting and for what He's going to do in this series of 40 Days of Prayer!
Love,
Carrie