Belonging is Priceless.

by Kendall & Cathy Thomas.

There is a saying “Nothing in life is free”. Most people desire to be a part of something, to belong, be connected, be a member. To truly belong means you believe. You accept something as true or real and trust or have confidence in the person or group you would like to join.

Cathy and I invested time and energy to attend a UME Weekend in 1999. The communication skills and concepts taught on our Weekend resonated with us. We

decided to become a part of our local UME Community. When we participated in Core, we found couples who were committed to come alongside, support and encourage us in this new adventure. This in turn gave us the opportunity to have a stake in other marriages as well.

We discovered there is a cost in belonging. The cost includes commitment, perseverance and being willing to allow others to help us navigate the storms and crises of life. Though we didn’t realize it at the time, we needed this greater community in our life to nurture us and help us grow.

Persevering in marriage requires a similar decision: An act of the will to stay and get the job done. It requires determination: the resolve to keep pressing forward, one day at a time. It requires hope: the belief that endurance will reap reward. And it requires the power of a loving Father working through a loving community who will hear your cry, offer encouragement and roll up their sleeves to help.

Life isn’t always sunshine; we must learn to survive the storms. Living in Florida prepares you for surviving storms. In 2004 four hurricanes hit in six weeks. Charlie, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne took aim at Florida in quick succession. Each one was different, yet each served as a reminder of what these storms can bring. Looking back,

we are so thankful we had friends, family, church and yes, our United Marriage Encounter Community to help us.

Figurative storms can be just as frightening and disastrous as literal ones. Sometimes an argument gets out of hand and goes unresolved for far too long. At other times you find yourselves enduring a stormy season of life, when important matters like career, family, or health get caught up in a whirlwind and the outcome seems uncertain. The means for survival are still the same: we are not alone. Belonging can be costly, but belonging is priceless.

In His Service,

Kendall and Cathy Thomas

Clergy Executive Couple