Who's your tribe?

What happens when you don't fit in specifically anywhere and yet everywhere?  It's a question I pondered with my friend this past week and has had me ruminating over ever since.

Friendships develop and are cultivated over time because of shared memories, experiences, trials, and just a genuine love of and for the other person. Some friendships are forged through tragedies, life altering experiences, health issues, common interests and just for want of companionship. Today women can find any number of groups to belong to online, uniting even the most commonplace to the unequaled. It brings a sense of community and fosters relationships for woman bringing experienced and knowledgeable people who've 'been there, done that' to those who are just now heading down a new path.

People want to find purpose for their struggles. What better way to do that than to mentor others, to comfort others? Afterall, it's biblical.

2nd Corinthians 1:3-5
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the god of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves received from God. 

We want to comfort others.  We desire to share the comfort we have received with those who are hurting. Our exposure needs a purpose. We desire a tribe. It's also a mom thing. Women are designed to nurture and take care of others.

I'm probably not unique in that I could stick myself in any number of group associations. But I'm probably not too common in regards to the types of clubs I could find myself trying to relate to. Wondering where I could share my experiences and where I could mentor others brings me to the question of which one should I choose? Where is my tribe? Where exactly do I fit in?

Unfortunately I could choose any one of these:

• The Congenital Heart Defect group. My oldest daughter had a severe heart defect at birth resulting in congestive heart failure and open heart surgery before 6 months of age.
• The miscarriage club
• The multiple miscarriage club
• The stillbirth club
• The twin club
• The infant death club
• The twinless twin club
• The micropreemie club
• The cerebral palsy club
• The rarer form of cerebral palsy club
• The parent of a multiply disabled child club
• The care-giver of your own parent club

 Which one do I go with? I can't possibly go with them all. There's too many to choose from and I still feel some days that I shouldn't belong to a single one of them.

I believe God has made the choice obvious for me. He has opened the door for me in the area of special needs and continues to walk with me directing me through more doors, veering my life ever in the direction of supporting and encouraging those with special needs. I admit, I am amazed at how clearly he continues to direct my path in this area.

My pastor asked me the other day, "Did you ever think God would be having you do all of this and growing a ministry like this?"

My answer?

No.

No I did not.