While out walking with my husband, I realised that, as a couple, we walk in sync with one another, and that when one or the other of us is slightly out of sync, we each adjust our walk to the one beside us. It makes the walk one of ease and comfort.
We were walking, holding hands, and we were slightly out of sync. The syncopated rhythm made our holding hands awkward, so I did a little hop, skip and jump, to come into sync with my husband’s stride, and our walk returned to one of ease.
As I did my little ‘dance’ and I felt a stirring from Jesus, my husband. He highlighted this little manoeuvre for me, and as He did, I glanced at my phone – it was 11:11.
11:11 means a few things to me.
A few years ago, when God was talking to me about the church needing to wake up, it was ‘Wakey Wakey time’ (thank you Beni Johnson circa 2009/10ish), which was a direct reference to Lazarus waking up (see John 11:11). For others, 11:11 may mean something else.
But for me, in this moment, it meant the ‘walk of faith’ regarding Hebrews 11:11:
(Hebrews 11:11 NIV)
‘The walk of faith,’ I thought.
I looked at our legs walking in unison, my left leg striding out with his right leg, our hands held swinging in time, my right leg then striding out with his left – they looked like the walk of 11:11.
Can you see it?
leg leg: leg leg
11:11
I know, it’s how my brain works, because I SEE God talking to me. He talks to me through what I see: patterns, numbers, strange happenings (remember Moses’ burning bush in one of my earlier posts?). It’s not just what I hear or know or sense, I also see, and there are many ways to see…
It’s 4am in the morning here in Australia as I write. He asked me to get up and ask the following question. It is clearly an important question to Him:
‘Who are you walking with?’
‘Who are you running with?’
Andrew, my husband, was symbolic of Jesus. I need to be in an easy sync with Him – with Jesus by my side. I must adjust my stride to be by His side, at ease in my walk with Him…
BUT
I also need to be in an easy sync with my actual husband – my life running partner. I need to adjust my step to be with him, and sometimes he needs to adjust his step for me. He often complains that I run ahead too fast, but sometimes I must slow it down.
We all need community. Singles (or married’s with unbelieving spouses) this then also covers you, just as it does married couples (our spouse cannot be everything we need). We all need community. So I ask:
Who are you running with?
The answer is important, especially now, in this ‘Kairos’ time, in this time of challenge.
We are in a rapidly changing world, life (including church) is being shaken to its core, and who we associate with, who we hang out with, what we read, what we fill our minds with, who we allow to influence our growth forms us and so I ask again:
Who are you running with?
Whoever they are, I suggest at least three things are essential:
1. they will call out the gold in you, helping you brush away the dirt to uncover your essence, your true self. They will celebrate you and let you shine. They certainly will not try to make you a cardboard cutout of themselves. But please also let them shine;
2. they are people you can lean in and run with, learn from, trust. They need to be encouraging you to ‘come a little higher.’ And, you may be that person for them too, for iron sharpens iron. But I suggest that at least one or two have done a few more miles in an area where you need to grow. You may also encourage and help them grow, but your community needs to include a few people who will stretch you, but always in kindness;
3. they are people you can sew into. I believe that we all need to be running with others that we encourage and call higher, too. We all need to ‘pay it forward!’ This is how the Body grows, each encouraging the other to become fully alive to Him, Jesus Christ.
So, it’s time to find your tribe. It’s time for us to find our tribe.
I think this is essential because it’s time for the meat. No more milk fed adults. Milk fed adults are not healthy adults. Kingdom rule requires Kingdom adults.
It’s time to grow up!
Any good parent wants their kids to hang out with great people; any good parent wants their child to grow up.
God is a good parent – He wants you hanging out with great people.
God is a great parent – He wants mature kids.
So…
Who are YOU running with, because it’s time to grow up!
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I’d love to know what you are doing to find this sort of community, a community that inspires you to grow.
Have you found people who honour you, who see you, yet who call you higher?
Alternatively, are you facilitating groups online or locally to help others grow into who they truly are? If so, let us know what that looks like – it won’t always look the same, but it would be interesting to hear about other people’s journey.
As for us?
We are running our inaugural meeting in person to start to create prophetic community in Melbourne Australia on Monday 4th April 2022.
Details are here for those that are local.
© Beth Kennedy 2022
Love, love, love this!! So good. You’ve hit the nail on the head.
Thank you – what we walk out resonates for others 💕
I am being challenged by God to take my love of the written word and create a community of journalers . People who write to reflect and draw out the lessons they are experiencing . I have journaled most of my life and found it a way to see and hear the heart of God in my daily experiences. Now He is calling me to share what I know and am passionate about for people to grow in their mental health. Challenging days indeed , but we are called to walk in them with Him . Thank you for the encouragement to find some others to walk and run with.
And I believe that you will do this wonderfully well! You are aptly prepared for such a task. I now ask you, are you finding mature community to encourage you on your journey as you establish that which God has called you to? People to love, encourage, and cheer you on as you embark in your community of believers. People who say ‘yes you go girl… listen to the heartbeat of Heaven and run.’ Please post a link to your journalling group for those that may like to join you. Beth XXX
This is so good, Beth. It’s also a big confirmation for me. I sense that the world is going to become a more challenging place for followers of Christ and we better surround ourselves with faith-filled people.
Another “coincidence” is that just before reading your post – I was studying Hebrews 11:11. What are the chances? I usually read the NASB, but the King James says that Sarah “judged Him faithful who had promised.” BUT, it took her 25 years for the promise to be fulfilled!
I’ve had ALS for 24 years. Sarah encourages me to not give up!
Wow Bill!
Coming from you that is really special. What I also love is that Sarah doubted, yet God counts her as a woman of faith – THIS fact gives me hope. We can doubt, even laugh at God’s plans not believing them for ourselves, yet when He sees them through in us anyway, He says ‘well done good and faithful servant’.
24 years is a long time – BUT God! I’m hoping for that BUT God, moment for you and one day seeing you walk, this side of eternity 🙂 25 years for that promise.
Thank you for your encouragement.
It is really special, and for choosing to communicate publicly is even more special, because it encourages others.
And yes! We need faith filled people for these days – and ones who will call out the gold, call us up higher (saying thats not who you are when we fall, or behave badly), and who cheer us on.
I am so grateful to be finding community at this time – and I trust you and Mary are surrounded too!
Much love Bill (and Mary)
Beth XXX
Sarah laughed at God – yet is counted as judging God as faithful – there is hope for us all!
Thanks, Beth.
Since having this revelation about Sarah last week, she is my new hero. I love the way her faith grew. As Hebrews 11:6 says, true faith must simply believe that God is and believe that He is a rewarder. Sarah knew that God was real and powerful, but she didn’t view Him as a rewarder. At some point in that 24+ years, she grew up in faith and came to see Him as a rewarder.
Interesting timing to read this. Earlier today I glanced at the clock before leaving the room and it was 11:11. But this matching numbers stuff has been happening to me for 14 years and it was interesting in the beginning and now I find it very irritating. There are so many people saying different things about matching numbers. I’ve read that it is God speaking through numbers and I’ve read that God doesn’t work like that and it’s the enemy trying to distract God’s people. I’ve also been told I’m nuts. Still don’t have a clear answer to it and I’ve prayed repeatedly for it to stop and it doesn’t . Good for you that you’re finding some encouragement in it.
As for finding a tribe I think that it’s weird timing and that God’s going to have to intervene to get that done in this time of COVID-19 and our rights as citizens being stripped all over the world. Tracing apps in our phones that will tattle on us if we’re too close to people. Laws being set up to remove people from their homes and put them in a quarantine space til the government says it’s ok for them to leave. A vaccine that has a blue light number in it that you’ll need to have in order to shop or leave the house or travel. Christians are so hopeful that things are going to get better soon but they’re not looking into what’s going on deeply. So, again, God is going to have to guide this “find your tribe” thing and we’ll have to be wiser than serpents and listen closely to God’s instruction on what to do and when to do it.
Hey Staci it’s so good to hear from you. I hear you 🤓
I thought I was nuts too!
The numbers thing – I believe God speaks to us in multiple ways, but it needs to be ‘listened’ to with wisdom.
Sometimes for me numbers will pop up and I will check the scriptures – if there is ‘life’ on a scripture I tick it into my heart to ponder and wait to see if He will speak again.
It’s happened for too long, in such an encouraging way for too many years too often for me to ignore it.
If you’re interested in exploring it with some sound teaching (well what I consider sound teaching so you may not agree) I’d be happy to recommend some books 📚. Or chat about it some more.
As for tribe, covid has been tough. We here in Australia are in lockdown 2, with a curfew, one hour exercise etc.
We connect in one on one walks, and we have started a zoom group the blessing there is that people who are at distance come too.
We have also plugged into a great church in Sydney (800km away) and we zoom into a life group there.
I firmly believe this will pass and God had it in hand.
I hear your pain – it’s been so tough in the USA.
My sister lives in California and she’s found it tough.
If there is anything we can pray for you for, please let us know.
If you would like a zoom cuppa – I’d be happy to connect and listen, pray with you.
You’re a remarkable woman.
Beth x
Beth,
Yes, some book recs would be great. Would like that very much thank you.
So glad to hear that you’re getting outside the house, and that other Aussies are getting outside the house for exercise even if it’s a little bit. It’s hard to keep track of all the different countries and how things are being handled because each do it differently.
Zoom would be nice. I’d love to “meet” you even if online! Your blog is one of my favorites and I’ve found it very encouraging over the past few years.
God bless you!
Hey Stacy, let’s arrange a time. Where are you in USA?
What interests you most re reading, what sparks a sense of excitement for you in your walk with God? Would you like a few books on hearing from God, how He may speak to you? Or books on intercession – how to be a happy intercessor, even while you ‘see’ the awful state of things, and as a happy intercessor pray in God solutions into seemingly hopeless situations?
I will try emailing you privately, so we can arrange something.
And, thank you for your encouragement… it came on a very timely day for me personally 🙂
Blessings, Beth
Great. Thank you, Beth! Will look for your email.
great post! Well done and for getting up so early too!!! Hehe
Wasn’t early on purpose 🤣