Recently, our church gave MaLinda and me the opportunity to attend a Well-Being Retreat in Montreat, North Carolina. The theme was Abundant Living, and we spent time thinking about balance, well-being, and what it really means to live abundantly. One phrase we heard throughout the retreat was, “But wait, there’s more!”
Since returning, I’ve found myself noticing the “more” all around us at Community Crossroads. I see it when volunteers step in for one another during health challenges, encourage and pray for each other, grieve together when we lose a friend, and remain flexible when needs and plans change. There is something special about watching a group of people become a true community through serving together.
More relationships to build. More neighbors to welcome. More opportunities to serve. More prayers to pray. More moments when someone quietly steps into a gap because another person needs them. More chances to remind one another that none of us was meant to do this alone.
I came home from Montreat thinking about balance and well-being, but also with a renewed appreciation for community. Abundant living doesn't necessarily mean filling our lives with more things to do. Sometimes it means slowing down enough to recognize the abundance God has already given us—in friendship, service, shared purpose, laughter, encouragement, and the people walking beside us.
And when we stop long enough to notice it, we may just discover: But wait, there’s more!
Jennifer Martinez
Director, Community Crossroads
