Christian Anonymous

So, if yall haven't figured it out yet....I am a nursing student. And currently I am working on my Psych rotation for clinical. For this rotation though we are told to go to at least 3 of a Anonymous meeting; so AA, or Al-non, Narcotics Anonymous any of them. So last night I went to my first AA/NA meeting ever. As I sat there before the meeting I slowly grew more and more anxious. I mean think about it, I wasn't supposed to be there, I was an outsider into their little community. I didn't have a "problem" and honestly I just felt uncomfortable. That is until the meeting started and I slowly grew to realize three things about this community of men and women.

1) They, like the Church body, are made up of all kinds of people. They show what it is meant to be different but the same in Christ. And not only are they all kinds of people, they each know how to get the whole body to work. Do we as Christians not believe that we make up one body of Christ, and without a working piece of the body the whole of the body itself  can not work as well as it could if the whole body worked to it's best. These people know what there roles in the group are and they welcome those roles greatly. For example, one of the men knew that he was to refil the coffee when it was empty, so everytime it was empty he got up to refil it (and trust me that is a big job for these people.....I think they would agree that coffee needs to be a sacrament as well)

2) They are a wonderful shinning example of what it means to support those around us. These people know where they have all come from, and they support each other in their journeys to being sober. They pick each other up when they stumble, they walk together when someone is scared to go in alone. Isn't that what we as Christians need to do. We act like if we don't go ahead of the group, nothing will be given to us. But that isn't the truth; may the first be last and the last be first. I know that I would much rather get to the finish line last knowing that many of my fellow Christians got there too because I was helping them up and dusting them off. It isn't a race, it is a journey, take the time and enjoy the journey together. That is what these people do for each other, these men and women that have struggled with addiction I believe have a better handle on what it means to be a Christian then a lot of us in the "real world" do.

3) They welcome new people better then some churches do. So what do I mean about that. As I was sitting there last night, I was with a friend, sitting in the back row of this meeting. When I kept having a guy star at me. Now I will be honest at first it kinda scared me. But shortly after he came and sat in front of us, he looked back and asked if we could see okay. He then continued to look back and check on us throughout the meeting. He without saying a word to us, made us feel comfortable with our surroundings. His smile and caring manner made the uncomfortable situation I was in so much better. I feel like we need to do that. We need to smile and sometimes not say a word. Now I am not saying b cheerful greeters on Sunday morning. I am saying that once the service starts don't stop being that caring and understanding. You never know, you might be the first time that person has seen Jesus.

So AA/NA taught me more then just how to be a good listener and learning what these people go through. It taught me that these people are so much stronger then most of us would give them credit for. Some of them have a stronger sense of Faith then I could ever imagine. These people have seen and felt God in their lives, I feel like they have given me a gift that is bigger then life. It is a new sense of life and understanding. They showed me that my judgement should never get in the way of learning something new and I thank God for that.

So I dare you, where can you find God today? What nervous situation are you in that you may just see what God has to offer to you? Let me know where you find God today.