Dear friends,

I just returned from a Renovaré retreat for The Fellowship of the Burning Heart.

Like any beautiful experience, there are limits to the value of waxing eloquent about how wonderful it was. Emerging from the tunnel at Yosemite National Park, for example, literally took my breath away; telling you about it won’t take away yours.

If you haven’t been, I hope you get to go. (Both to a Renovaré retreat and to Yosemite.)

Regardless, here’s something I took away from the retreat that’s good news for everyone longing for authentic and deep Christian community… There are a surprising number of Jesus followers who value humility of heart, who want to be with God more than talk about God like God isn’t in the room, who hold strong convictions with humility, who are quick to listen and slow to speak.

In 1 Kings 19, after having just experienced a dramatic victory over false prophets, Elijah hid in a cave and said something to which many of us can relate: I’m the only one.

Then God showed up in an unexpected way with an unexpected message: There are seven thousand others who still serve Me. In other words, you are less alone than you think.

It is a tumultuous time in the American Protestant church. Sometimes it feels lonely for those genuinely seeking to prioritize the Kingdom of God. But the retreat reminded me we’re less alone than we think.