Here today, the Merry Makers are a group of individuals with varying abilities who come together to create a community of belonging. They meet every week to share meals, engage in activities, and support one another.

What has struck me the most about this community is their commitment to time, heat, and pressure.

They have committed to spending time with one another, building relationships and truly getting to know each other. They have chosen to be vulnerable and open with one another, sharing their struggles, joys, and dreams. They have faced difficult situations together, supporting one another through the heat of challenges and conflict. And they have intentionally created spaces of pressure, pushing each other to grow and learn.

They have shown incredible perseverance and faithfulness in their relationships, even when it has been difficult. They have embraced the vulnerability and resilience needed to truly belong to one another. And they have found purpose and intensity in their shared experiences, finding meaning and fulfillment in their community.

This is just one example, but I believe it is a powerful one. It shows us that belonging is possible, but it requires time, heat, and pressure. It requires relational perseverance, vulnerability, and resilience. It requires a commitment to one another and a willingness to grow together.

So, as we wrap up today, I want to encourage you to consider how you can turn up the relational heat, vulnerability, and perseverance in your own life. How can you prioritize time for relationships and create spaces of belonging? And how can you embrace the challenges and pressures that come with deepening your connections with others?

Belonging is not easy, but it is worth it. And when we surrender our self-centeredness, embrace the ingredients of belonging, and commit to the time, heat, and pressure needed, we can create communities of true belonging for ourselves and for the world around us.