Accountability.

7 A Mutiny Against Excess (of Food, Clothes, Possessions, Media, Waste, Spending, and Stress) by Jen Hatmaker has changed the game of life.  The book has been a factor in the way I live my life, more than ever I can pin-point things that are purely excess in my life, and walk away from them (some of them a lot easier than others).  I love the book, (read it if you haven't) but more than that I love the women I am reading the book with.

I watched these past few weeks and especially this past weekend as these women have lifted each other up, held onto one another when things got rough, and most importantly resolved that none of us were going anywhere.  The words from the weekend that keep pulling at my heart...

"Look around, this is who you are spending eternity with, no one is leaving, no one is walking out, we're living this life and the next one TOGETHER."

That's powerful, and simultaneously it's a hard thought to swallow.  That means I'm accountable to other women.  Women who are strong, and lovers of Jesus who will tell me when I am not walking the walk, who will tell me when I'm screwing up, and who will reign me in when I've resolved to run away. Let me tell you, these women aren't shy. They don't beat around the bush. They don't avoid things. They don't wait out potential "phases."  They can be cut throat, and I wouldn't have it any other way.  I need to be called out on my own bullshit sometimes, and this group does it, and they do it in love.

As we all sat around last night I was reminded of a time when I straight up walked out of a restaurant because I was angry with what had been said.  (Guilty, but I thought I had pulled it off better than that)  I left that night angry, sad, and probably slightly hurt.  But the person sitting across from me was right, and I knew it. Last night despite having walked out in anger then (and probably several times since then) she was still sitting next to me. Still loving me, still pushing me to be better, still just being there.

Realized: It really is this life AND the next one.  Despite our brokenness and our fallen state we have been given the ability to love one another in such a way that we can say this is permanent.

Look around at the Christians in your life, remind yourself it's this life and the next one. We are in it for the long haul of this life, and the eternity of Heaven.  We have one another for a reason, and we are dependent creatures, we need God first, and our brothers and sisters in Christ second.  We need to lift each other up, and love each other. We need to forgive each other, and keep each other on the path.  The path is narrow and when you're about to fall off of it you need someone who is going to grab your hand and pull you back on.

^"24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, ²⁵ not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. " Hebrews 10:24-25