1. OKC Singles, 2004 -- It all started in 2004 with a coed singles group in OKC -- I'm sure we had a group name, but I can't remember it now. I do remember going to watch Robin's ballet perfomance, some of our meetings and cookouts, and doing micromissions with Lee, Trisha, Jessica, Robin, Aaron, and Sarah (she now lives in Tulsa and is engaged to Milo, who I know from the BattleCreek choir... small world). Picture below = Trisha and Lee (now married) and Aaron and Sarah (brother and sister).
2. Bible Babes, 2005-2006 -- The first women's group I attended was at Rachel's house in Midwest City. It was the first group I really connected with deeply. I remember Eva (pronounced "Eh-vuh," like Kanye's "foreva-eva, foreva-eva" line) because she was full of Godly wisdom and passion that inspired me! Our leader, Rachel, was bubbly and kind, and she got me out of my comfort zone. This was the first group where I risked praying out loud with people I barely knew, and I gradually became more comfortable with that. Gwen was 10 years older than me at the time (so my age now), and she was an awesome and encouraging mentor - she gave me wise advice on Josh (if only I'd listened more carefully) and she basically had a Joyce Meyer library of tapes in her car and would give me a new one every week to listen to ("Beside the Still Waters" was the first ever, and may be my favorite to this day). Valerie was always friendly and encouraging. :) A great group of fun, Godly friends for my 21-year old self! Picture = Rachel, Gwen, Eva, and Valerie!
3. "Changie" Group, 2007-2008 -- This was the first group I joined in Tulsa, led by Chad and Angie (who were engaged at the time and are now married with two kids)! I found them online, and the very first meeting I went to was at Trent's house ...I got sick halfway through and ran out and threw up in his yard... epic! But I dared to go back, and they became an awesome support group that quickly became my only Tulsa friends in 2007-2008. It's the first group where I broke down crying (while talking about Blake, and Angie cried with me, which meant a lot) and the first group I really shared my own struggles with. And this is where I met K-Lamb, Bobbi, Angie, Natalie, Mark, Cassie, Dave, Kim, Scott, Alli, Caleb, Chris, etc. A lot of great connections - some just for that season, and some that are going strong today!
4. Ruth's Lifegroup, 2007-2013 -- Ruth, Charlotte, Kimberly, Faye, Colleen, and McKayla ~ a group of mothers and grandmothers that treated me as if I fit right in... they accepted and loved and helped mentor me, and I quickly grew to love them, too! I was set to start going to this group on June 12, 2007 (the day I got the letter), and I remember driving halfway to Ruth's place in Owasso and then turning around... but I went a week later and had a really great talk with them - sharing your heart can be so natural in a small women's group, and I love that. We've done many Beth Moore studies together. :) We've celebrated holidays, taken a Big Cedar trip, and prayed over the major and minor things in each other's lives and families. This was another very strong support system for me, and we keep in touch today and have mini-reunions here and there. I feel especially close to Ruth and Charlotte, and I am very thankful God brought me to this group, and grateful for their love and their prayers!!
5. Daniel & Breaking Free Study, 2008/2009 -- I hosted and led two short-term women's groups through Beth Moore's Daniel and then her Breaking Free study. It was nerve wracking but good for me to branch out and try hosting and leading... and I got to know Kristin, Tara Lynn, and Bobbi a lot better during this time! Picture = my Daniel Bible study girls (+ the Gilmore Girls joining us in the background)! ;-)
6. Diving Deeper, 2008-2010 -- Kristin, Bobbi, and I co-founded this LifeGroup when we realized we were among the only singles left in the Changie group and we needed a fresh start! We brainstormed group names and I threw out Diving Deeper and a few others, and "Diving Deeper" was the one that stuck! We always met at Bobbi's place... she was a great hostess, and it quickly began to feel like home. This was my first time leading a coed group (through John Eldredge's Walking With God study) and the first time I helped organize micromission projects (Eugene Field cookout and Christmas parties)! This is also where I first met Chet Lee, Bill, Liz, Carl, Nathan, Jay, Michael, Chesley, Morgan, etc.
7. BattleCreek Community Group, 2011 -- I went to BattleCreek for around a year in 2011, and I joined their choir and a singles "CoGro" where I met Brittany Bolt, Amanda, Clayton, Anna, Sarah, and Emily Burton! (We actually teamed up with the Diving Deeper group for a Joplin road trip to help Brittany's sister's family and others after the major tornado.) I was in a summer small group with Brittany, Anna, Sarah, and Emily, so they're the four I know best. Brittany was also my roommate for a little while... my time at BattleCreek was worth it if only for getting to know her - she's encouraging and so wise, the type of friend who prays with you immediately and really sharpens you spiritually! :)
(*This was the year of Mom's cancer, my parents' wreck, and a few other issues... and I found myself leaning more and more on my old friends from LifeGroup, which was what led me back to LifeChurch in the end!)
8. Diving Deeper South, 2011-2012 -- After my random stint at BattleCreek, I joined the Southside Diving Deeper group (they multiplied and had a midtown and south location at that point). We met at Blake Manor (Blake Bland's mansion-like home), and later moved to Steve and Caleb's place. It was the first group where I wrote out and shared my personal testimony and how God has worked in my life - I loved sharing that and hearing others' stories! It disbanded at the beginning of 2013, and I was sad to see it end. I really loved this group and the depth of our conversations and studies - plus it felt like coming home to me being with some of those people again. I vividly remember times when we'd stand in a circle holding hands and praying together. The group included Chettles, Karli, Tall Kyle, Steve, Caleb, Frank, Alisa, Mindi, Jessica, Amanda Wille, Jennie, Blake, Blake, etc. :)
9. Diving Deeper Women's Group, 2013-Present -- I'm currently in this women's group, led by the lovely Kelly Marie! We rotate who hosts the group, and it's always a fun part of connecting getting to see where people live. :) We've done several great studies together and have a pretty solid group right now. We've shared our testimonies, prayed with each other, studied God's Word, celebrated birthdays and holidays together, and had a lot of fun girls' nights! We are doing a dinner or prayer night every fourth week right now, and that's been great. This is where I first met Tiffany, Angie, Lindsay, Elizabeth, Hayley, and many others! :)
10. Lindsay's Lifegroup, 2013-Present -- This one is also a current group for me, because one women's group just isn't enough. lol This group meets every other Wednesday, either at Lindsay's house or Panera. And it includes Lindsay, Talhia, Linda, and sometimes Alyssa and Terri. The small size of the group is nice for me, and we've had some really great discussions about all sorts of topics. Lindsay is one of the funniest people I know, and I always love hearing her stories! :) She's a wonderful hostess and leader for us, and I love that she's always very transparent about what she's going through! Linda is possibly the most disciplined and balanced woman I've ever met, and she inspires me to be a healthier person. Talhia and I have become good friends over the past couple years, and I love our deep talks over fro-yo. :)
I could not overstate the importance of these LifeGroups in my life! People are obviously not perfect, and close relationships can be really messy and hard, but I HIGHLY recommend LifeGroups (or any regular weekly meeting with other Christians). I know it takes a bit of courage to branch out and make new friends, but it's worth it to have a weekly place to connect and hang out, to build friendships where you know, love, pray, and fight for each other!! Even when your backgrounds have little in common, there's a sense of unity that comes simply from being part of the body of Christ. So if the first one you try isn't a good fit, keep trying. (There are at least two groups I didn't mention because I only went 2 or 3 times before moving on.) Over time, you build your inner circle and begin to love and trust them deeply. Since I started fresh with a clean slate in 2007, these groups have been the source of all my closest friendships. Even the friends that didn't come directly from a LifeGroup came through an LG connection: I met Laura and Tara through Kristin, JEM through Jay, Sarah through Chet Lee, etc. With a few exceptions, these are the people who will pray with you, encourage you, spend their weekend helping you move, drop whatever they're doing to be there for you when you're grieving, and genuinely challenge you to be all God calls you to be... and vice versa!! #thankful
Okay, LifeGroup sales pitch over! ;-) Happy Tuesday!!
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