A few months ago, my friend & I started a women’s group called Rally. I saw it clearly in my head: the group of women gathered to connect, be seen, and find friendship with other women all for God’s glory.
As I drove to Rally last night, I started praying some fierce prayers. We hadn’t met in about three weeks, and I was praying for the Lord to revive me and to revive all of us. I even dared Him to stir His Spirit in the women I knew and to bring them to Rally.
But…there wasn’t a crowd. In fact, we had one woman show up.
Before this week had even started, I felt like I was behind. There’s been laundry to put away for a few days now. I had to throw away some fresh chicken because I forgot it was in the fridge, and it was rancid. I never opened my Bible until 6 PM. Thank goodness there’s tomorrow, right? Tomorrow will be better.
Maybe tomorrow or maybe next week is something that rolls off my tongue quicker than my yes’s. I feel the Holy Spirit tell me to do something, and I push Him away because maybe tomorrow or later or never (which is what I really mean by later) is easier, more comfortable to say. I would bet it’s true for you, too.
With Rally, I decided to listen. I decided to give the Holy Spirit space to be my guide, and I agreed to jump into something that felt difficult, foreign, and uncomfortable for me. It felt like magic, seeing how God could bring together a group of women, almost out of nothing. It was good and holy and glorious.
I’ve learned a few things over the years, and one of them? My soul is lighter when I am in a room with women who I know will pray with me. My soul does not ache when I discuss with other women the works of the Father in my life. My soul finds rest with other souls like that are like mine: needy of a Savior.
You know what’s difficult about this? We don’t believe it. Us women, we are stubborn creatures. We allocate our time to duties, work, children, and everyone else, and we forget ourselves. We forget our most basic need to connect. We forget that our phones are not replacement friendships and that our typed out words do not replace coffee shop conversations. We consider church on Sundays and the occasional Bible story with our children “good enough” for the week, or we excuse our lack of spiritual depth with a solemn, “Well this is life right now.”
And it is! This is life, right now. I cannot bear to let you miss it.
Sister, friend, woman. This is my call to your revival.
I don’t care where you go, I don’t care if you decide to never come to Rally. I care that you find your women. I care that you get with your sisters in Christ, and you dare to be needy of a Savior, together.
We had Rally, we had one woman join us, and I don’t regret it for a minute. I loved spending an evening laughing about things of my womanhood with my women, because you guys. It feels like freedom. I don’t have to perform for these people. I don’t have to put on a brave face, pretend I am chipper, or be some kind of woman I am not. I get to be me.
Revive your real friendships. Be in sisterhood with women. Get off your phone, get out of your house, and get with women who want to pray for you, love you, and encourage you.
Rest assured, I’m here praying for you, too.
JANELLE DELAGRANGE 