"No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less. - Jonn Donne

God has not intended that we would live like loners. We are not be Lone Rangers. We need each other. When God put Adam in the garden He observed, "It is not good for man to be alone." That is still true today. More than 23.6 million Americans live alone. Loneliness is a crisis of our age, even in the church. It is possible to attend church faithfully yet never get close to anyone. If you never connect or make a friend with whom you can share you are missing one of God's greatest blessings. Proverbs says that "A friend (brother) is born for adversity." - Proverbs 17:17 God has given you a church family so we can share each other's burdens and cares - so we can pray for each other. Here are some suggestions for getting connected:

Get Into A Small Group
1. An Adult Sunday School Class
2. A Men's or Women's Bible Study.
3. Start your own small group.
4. Find a common denominator (interest group).
5. Meet regularly for caring, sharing, and praying.
6. Do it faithfully for six months to one year.

Choose A Prayer Partner
1. Someone of the same gender (male, female).
2. Someone who will be faithful, punctual.
3. Someone you like to be with.
4. Someone with a kindred spirit.
5. Someone who will be honest.
6. Someone whose wisdom you trust.
7. Someone you can trust with secrets.

Meet With Your Prayer Partner
1. Make it once-a-week (once a month).
2. Meet for ½ hour minimum.
3. Follow an agenda. (see suggestions)
4. Accountability questions.
5. Talk about sin, temptations, failures, and struggles.
6. Be honest, soul-transparent.
7. Ask what God has been saying in devotions.