I would greatly appreciate any thoughts on finding Christian community near me. I realize that's a difficult ask, considering I'm posing this question online without my location, but let me explain some of the obstacles I've been facing for a while.
- I work a sensitive job and can't really discuss the details. Most of my life I was an open book, but the past few years I've had to get creative about how I tell/don't tell people what I do. So it can be hard to form new relationships and be the new person in a group.
- I travel a lot for this job, so it's difficult to attend regularly. I think some people understand this when they get to know you. But unfortunately a lot of us Christians can be too attendance focused.
- I am in my late 30s, but everyone says I look 25, so the past several times I've attended new places, I've been steered toward much younger groups, classes, etc. before I can explain my age. Or find out there is no one my age. I get along with all ages, but I really need some peers in my life.
- Even if I don't have peers, I've always longed for an older mentor. Leadership was thrust on me at a young age and everyone looked to me for guidance when I barely knew what I was doing. No one has it all figured out, but I greatly wish I could find an older lady or couple that has some wisdom and experience to share.
- I recently reached out to a church because they had a form online for mentors/groups. Someone called and offered to set me up with an older lady for coffee and invite me to a discipleship group. She called back and said that lady was already mentoring people and a little busy, so I should just come on Sunday and get to know some people. I fully intend to rejoin a church, but because it can be tough to just walk in, especially when people start asking a lot of questions, I wanted to get to know a few people first. I know they meant well, but after getting my hopes up, I felt rejected. (I did tell them my reasons for reaching out the way I did).
- A lot of people with my job have supportive spouses, but I have not been blessed with a spouse yet, so I do get lonely. Add to that the fact my best friend recently pulled back from our friendship because of some personal issues she is having, so it made the lack of Christian community in my life more apparent. I started by joining this site.