God reminded me through a conversation i had with a friend/leader in the area of faithfulness. I thanked God on how He has developed me over the years to learn to be faithful to my spiritual family. The differences in the characters, personalities and maturity of people in this big Family is what makes Church so exciting. without this, our commitment will never be tested and tried. Someone once said that the longer you have been in Church, the more flaws you will see in people, in the way things are carried out and the list goes on. But it is through the workings of the Holy Spirit within us that will help us to love the Church much much more than when you first stepped in.

My observations over the past 8 years have been that God will bring about specific seasons within each group. Times of growth and harvesting, times of dryness and character building. times where you look at some other Units/Cluster and you may think to yourself how great it would be if your group is like that. times where i have found it so difficult and frustrated, often misunderstood and unjust. times when i felt that all solutions i could think of to grow the group has run dry. Yet i thank God that His grace is always sufficient, as long as we are willing to remain faithful in the place that God has placed us in. Continue to sow, and expand; Continue to grow and to disciple; Continue to BELIEVE and TRUST Him.

i have been in this micro family within the Church (my Unit/Cluster) ever since i was a non-believer. Many Groups have multiplied from this group. In fact, i am the longest existing member of this group. I used to think that it was difficult, having to adapt to new groups of people when people graduate, head home, moved on to working groups, multiplied to form other groups; Some left the Church and never came back; Working with different people, leaders, some more similar to me than others ... moving from being the youngest in the group to now one of the oldest. I think the key to grow God's Church is not just about change, but about faithfulness. Faithfulness that will lead us to stick through situations and people despite the odds against us. Faithfulness to say that no matter how green the patch of grass is in the opposite end, we will stick by where God has placed us in, grow it and enlarge it. i consider through the passage where Jesus spoke about the Parable of the Talent, and I pray that though my many lacks, that I can grow the Church of Jesus Christ the way the faithful servant did

The Parable of the Talents [Matthew 25]14"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15To one he gave five talents[a] of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. 19"After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.' 21"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' 22"The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.' 23"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' 24"Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.' 26"His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. 28" 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

My Family, For her my tears shall fall, For her my prayers ascend, To her my cares and toils be given Till toils and cares shall end. Beyond my highest joy I prize her heavenly ways Her sweet communion, solemn vows, Her hymns of love and praise.