I don’t know them.

I’ve said hi a few times. I’ve stood in the quad after church with coffee in hand, trying to politely tell my kids “just one blueberry muffin!”

I met Julie the first Sunday I visited at the church’s welcome table. Lynn, I met at a newcomer’s dinner last month. She smiled, asked me where I’m from, whether I was new in town. The third girl Nicole sat in the row behind me before worship service. I turned to notice she and her husband were flanked by two girls, one around TJ’s age. A mommy-comrade-in-arms, I noted to self.

Sure, I know their names, how many kids they have, where about town they live and how long they’ve been going to church.

But, I don’t really know them.

You see, I’m new at my church.

And in many ways, as hard it is to look for a new community of believers to do life with and worship together — it can also be very easy to be new.

It is very easy to just lay low.

To be quiet.

To be safe.

To just smile and remain unknown.

To keep every interaction from leading to the one door you don’t want to walk through…

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…To read the rest of the story – click here to join me over at DaySpring’s (in)courage site, where today’s post is published.

Take a virtual coffee break together and share your thoughts. I’ve turned off comments here, so we can all meet up there!

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