Authentic Discipleship

Life-on-life is spiritual formation with a telescopic lens; it brings life up close and personal so that no one can hide or, worse, fall through the cracks. For that reason it can be messy and, well, real.
My wife, Carol, has experienced this kind of authenticity in her relationships with the women she has led in groups over the years. Not long ago, one of the women in her current group sent an email to her group that champions the beauty of life-on-life better than anything else I could say about it:

Just wanted to write a few thoughts about how blessed we are to be in a group of authentic women. I was thinking through my own journey over the last years and wanted to thank each of you because:

You loved me when I felt unlovable
You gave me value when I felt worthless
You embraced me when I felt condemned
You didn’t think less of me when I felt judged
You encouraged me when I felt scorned by the world.
You cared for me when I wanted to self-destruct.
You held me up when I wanted to fall.
You told me truth when I wanted to listen to lies.
You were strong when I was weak.
You showed me how to breathe when life took my breath away.
You were Jesus when I needed him in flesh and bone.
You understood, even though your flesh could not.
You called me when I felt I had nothing to say.
You made me face the day when I wanted to tread in darkness.
You challenged me when I wanted to be mindless.
You loved my family when others found them unlovable.
You asked me questions when I just wanted to blend in.
You saw God’s potential in me when I saw nothing.
You knew me when I didn’t recognize myself.

Relational discipleship, so much more than Bible study. Thanks for “doing life” with me!