Discovering G Plus Communities that Uplift & Encourage Christians
Is it just me, or is it impossibly easy to wander adrift? No matter how much I grow, it seems one distraction can come along and two months later I find myself picking up a shamelessly dusty Bible.
Wandering is a problem. For me, and I suspect, quite possibly for you. I’ve been convicted of this problem for several years and at times feel like I am overcoming this trap, and at times feel like I’m more faithless to my King than ever.
Especially online. I don’t even have to elaborate on this because most of us, if we were being honest, would say we followed an online distraction away from Christ. I have. And not just once either.
Consider this verse, from Jeremiah.
“My people have been lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray
and caused them to roam on the mountains. They wandered over mountain and hill and forgot their own resting place.
Jeremiah 50:6
I know I have taken my eyes off my Shepherd far too many times and followed shepherds of deceit and darkness. I know I have followed distractions, and yes, sin, away from the Shepherd whom I am called to rest in.
This verse from Jeremiah captures a heartbeat. Touches on something that shames me, and yet gently calls me back after every wandering. It’s for this reason that I’ve begun to pray about how I participate with the internet.
Here and there I will feel a similar conviction, the nudging of the Holy Spirit to delete a bookmarked site, or chop down interaction with another. Or, simply, be vocal about my Savior on the sites I do participate with. It’s for these reasons that I’ve been intentional about seeking out (what I’ve dubbed) Christ-presence online. The Satisfaction Through Christ community has been a huge source of godly resources for me. Likewise focusing on God-honoring content on Pinterest has grown me as well.
Beyond Pinterest, I look to G+ for a little online interaction with long distance friends and family, and I wanted to be intentional there as well. So I sought out some Google Plus communities that are all about God and I want to share them with you!
I believe that discipleship is one of the cures that God designed for the very problem I mentioned above, and so when I discovered the group, Christian Discipleship I was quite excited. If you are truly searching for growth in your faith, the posts in this group are likely to be an encouragement to you. (Oh and this one is not exclusive to women, but it has great activity and a lot of resources for those seeking discipleship.)
Christian Stay At Home Moms has led me to several posts now that have ministered to me. I love the quote by Darlene Schacht that they chose for their g plus group image. (It’s a great quote even if you aren’t a stay at home mom. It will help you understand those of us who are!)
Since I told you recently that my son is only three you may find it strange that I am loving this Christian Homeschool G+ community. The truth is – I am not a teacher – or at least I’m not a children’s teacher, so you can say that I’ve wrestled a little bit with the call to home school. This group has already begun to lift my confidence, point me to resources, and most of all, develop a realistic view of homeschool. They’ve met a need, and I’m grateful!
My husband, Paul, and I are passionate about marriage, and we are very intentional about building, protecting, and cherishing ours. The Fierce Marriage community has been a source of marriage encouragement that I was thrilled to find!
There you have it! Some of my favorite G+ communities that minister to Christians online! I think this is a good time to say – there is a good chance you won’t agree with or even like everyone you run into in the groups you choose to be a part of. I just want to encourage you to remember that we are all in progress. We are all pursuing holiness, but still falling short. Let God, and His Word, be your first and final resource and in the meantime associate with, learn along side, and encourage the Christians who are a part of the online Christ-presence. (Like me!)
So if you know of a G Plus Community that I’d be interested in, please leave a link!
Searching for online Christian resources can be challenging.
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This is a wonderful post- thanks for sharing. Found your blog on Motivation Monday link party and started following on Google + and Bloglovin.
Erin
http://theeveryday-mom.blogspot.com/
Erin, we are glad you found us! Thanks for leaving a comment!
Wonderful list! Thank you for sharing with us at the Merry Monday Link Party!
Amanda, glad you came by!
Do you get a fair amount of interaction with these groups? I haven’t really delved into G+ much (so many other things on my plate–trying to find balance) and I wasn’t sure if it was worth the effort…. thoughts?
Hey Brittany, thanks for coming by. To answer your questions, I had the same concerns when I was searching for some communities to be a part of. The first group, about discipleship has probably the most interaction and I think the most members. The other three are still in growing stages, but I chose them over others I considered because I could see that there has been increase in the amount of conversations taking place. (In other words, I saw potential!) I’ve posted at least one question or intro in each of the four groups and had several replies. You also might be interested to know that there are at least two groups for Christian women bloggers. I participate a little with these groups and have found new resources and friends there.
As far “Is G+ worth it…” I like it over Facebook because I feel like it trims out “stuff.” I don’t really have anything against facebook games, and other features, but I don’t have time for that type of thing. G+ doesn’t have that stuff, it is a little more no-nonsense. I feel like I can come and go and not get hooked on spending half a day on G+…. I hope all this helps! 😀 Let me know if you are interested in those two groups for Christian bloggers and I’ll track down the links for you!