The Importance of Fellowshipping

women holding hands with Bibles open

By Ashley Hardway –

So much of the time we get caught up with our families and activities it leaves little time for ourselves. Even though we may be active in church and Sunday school sometimes it is difficult to connect personally with other women. And if we do have loads of friends at church there are still not many opportunities for sharing what is going on in our lives unless we get together one on one. So often we are so caught up with responsibilities that getting together with individual friends gets more difficult and friendships are hard to maintain. That is where I found myself a little over a year ago.

Our church, like many others these days, started small group Bible studies in people’s homes in the area of the church. For a while I did not believe I had the time to attend and it seemed to me to be just another commitment on a weeknight. Not that I do not enjoy hearing the word of God and fellowshipping with other Christians but it seems I am always on the go. Especially since my mother had open heart surgery a little over a year ago and I have been taking her back and forth to the doctor about every two weeks since. But she is getting stronger and things are slowing down just a bit now by God’s great grace.

fall scents for your home

About a year ago now my daughter who is now twenty nine talked me into trying out a home Bible study group and she attended with me. I had been praying about what the Lord wanted me to do for awhile because like I said above I was not getting much time for myself and this just seemed like I was adding more to my to do list. I was hungry to spend relaxed time enjoying fellowship with other believers so I decided to give it a try.

The very first time I went to the group I felt at home. I know it was a gift from the Lord Jesus to me because I had been asking Him to lead me. It was the absolute perfect group for me and all the women there welcomed me with open arms. My daughter had a wonderful time as well. What a blessing! So over a year later both of us are still attending the same group. I hear and see so often women that come and go trying to find the perfect group and I was so pleased that I had asked the Lord to guide me and He is so faithful!

I look so forward to Tuesday nights now. We fellowship for thirty minutes before we start our Bible study and we share what is going on in each of our lives. We read God’s word, pray for each other, and build each other up. Sharing Jesus with other women who love Him too is amazing, especially when they are dealing with some of the same things that you are. I have a son that is twenty two and still floundering, so do a couple of the other ladies (we started a bit late). A couple other ladies and I share care giving for elderly parents, not to mention financial issues, health issues we have, and things like losing weight. And of course we all share our spiritual needs and victories as well. I come away from the Bible study invigorated instead of tired because I have been truly blessed through these women.

We bonded quickly because of the Lord and through so many shared interests. Because we all share the Lord as our personal Lord and Savior we are even closer than some people are after years of knowing one another. We welcome others to our group always and in the past couple of months we have added two new ladies. We are a group of all nationalities and backgrounds with the same Lord. What an amazing blessing!

As women that are over fifty we find ourselves still heavily responsible in our children’s lives and equally imbedded in our parents lives. Sometimes in the midst of these responsibilities some of us find it difficult to make new friends even though we may have numerous acquaintances that we socialize with. And so often we are removed from the friends we grew up with because of career changes and relationships changes. We sometimes get secluded in our own little worlds.

Even Jesus broke away from the crowds and His disciples for prayer and rest. I know before getting involved in this small group I found myself getting resentful and irritable about all of my duties. Being around these wonderful Christian women has brought me new perspective and a deeper relationship with my Lord. Just knowing that these women are struggling with some of the same issues that I am has helped to ease my burdens.

It may sound as though we are a bunch of perfect women but we are far from that. What we do have in common is our love for the Lord, our families, and mutual interests. Jesus Christ takes away the barriers that would normally keep us apart such as insecurities, inadequacies, and a fear of social interaction that tends to take place in groups of strangers. We laugh, we love, and we pray for each other and hold each other up and also hold each other accountable in the most loving way.

I would encourage each and every woman to get involved in a small group Bible study. Ask the Lord for His guidance and then set out on an adventure. There is just nothing like sharing a bond with other Christian women regardless of background. When you know that you are in a group that love the Lord God then you feel set free to express yourself and let your guard down which is such a blessed relief. The most important thing is to ask for guidance because just being in the Lord’s will for you will bring you peace and rest.

Always curious, Ashley Hardway is constantly learning and passionate about sharing what she learns with others. Based in the Houston, Texas office of Morningside Nannies, she loves to help families grow stronger, help their environments and communities, and keep moving forward! Check out @NannyLady on Twitter to connect and find

1 thought on “The Importance of Fellowshipping”

  1. Yes! I find deep, true fellowship always comes when we gather around the word of God. It’s here that we can cry, laugh, fall apart and find women who will gently encourage you to stand firm and press in to God. It’s beautiful!

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The Importance of Fellowshipping
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