My writing grows, in part, out of my life. As a result, it often reveals more of the condition of my heart than I intend. I write what’s fresh in my reading and thinking. I write a day at a time.

I am inside my head, living on the ground. Those of you outside my head are often able to be more objective about what is happening to me. You are able to see patterns.

It happened again last week. A friend pointed out a pattern in my writing, a pattern in my heart. I hadn’t seen it yet, not clearly. I had glimpses, of course, but I hadn’t linked the pieces together.

And once he pointed out this pattern, I was able to tie it back to a realization and to a decision. And I saw a little bit of progress in my heart.

The writer of Hebrews says,

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Lots of people use that as support for going to church services. “See?” the argument goes. “We are supposed to be in church every time the doors open and if we aren’t, we’re going against what the Bible says.”

The text seems to be less about Sunday morning worship services and more about relationships. The kind of relationships with other people following Jesus that will poke and prod and reveal and comfort and challenge and affirm. The kind of relationships that come from regular open-hearted interaction. The friend that pointed out the pattern helped me more than he knows. Til now, of course.