Integrated

I feel wholly integrated into Samson Society.  It's taken almost eight years, but I've officially arrived.  And this is no fault of anyone.  Instead, it's testimony to how broken I was when I first stepped foot into the original Jackson, Mississippi meeting back in August of 2014.  

I've always been weighed down by my spiritual gifts.  That - combined with how impossible it is to see myself with any real clarity - positioned me perfectly for a serious emotional rape back in September of 2013 (institutional job termination).  And the shell of a man - contemplating suicide - is what walked into Samson Society all those many years ago.

I thought I'd summarize my journey here in order to clearly spell out that feeling integrated into this community can take a whole lot of time / patience / commitment.

August 2014 - Attend first Jackson, MS Samson Society meeting - First Baptist Church Jackson

October 2014 - Formally agree to firstly become another man's Silas

June 2015 - Attend a Jackson, MS Samson Society retreat (South MS)

December 2015 - Ask another man to be my Silas

April 2016 - Attend second Jackson, MS Samson Society retreat (Highlands, NC)

2017 - Begin attending first Jackson, MS Samson Society spinoff group (Grace Crossing Church -Gluckstadt)

April 2017 - Attend third Jackson, MS Samson Society retreat (Highlands, NC)

Summer 2017 - Begin facilitating the Lakeside Presbyterian Church Samson Society group

November 2017 - Attend first National Samson Society retreat (Middle TN)

February 2018 - Organize first (and only) local (by Rob invitation only) Samson Society retreat (Yazoo county, MS)

November 2018 - Attend second National Samson Society retreat (Middle TN)

January 2019 - Ask another man to be my Silas (#2)

November 2019 - Attend third National Samson Society retreat (Middle TN)

November 2020 - Attend fourth National Samson Society retreat (Middle TN)

July 2021 - Attend Samson Society "Telling Your Story" regional retreat (North GA)

October 2021 - Retire from Samson Society facilitator role at Lakeside Presbyterian Church

November 2021 - Attend fifth National Samson Society retreat (Middle TN)

December 2021 - Ask another man to be my Silas (#3)

December 2021 - Begin attending "Make Thursdays Great Again" virtual Samson Society meeting

February 2022 - Attend second Samson Society "Telling Your Story" regional retreat (Gulf Shores, AL)

That's a whole lotta Samson Society over the past eight years.  All in all, I've attended +/-400 meetings, been served by three Silases, served countless Samson guys as their Silas, attended four dedicated Mississippi Samson Society retreats, five National Samson Society retreats, and two regional Samson Society retreats.

And it's taken all of that to usher me into where I'm at today.  Fully integrated.

In closing, I'm still on fire for this men's ministry.  Just as much as I was at the outset.  I see God's spirit moving / working still in mighty ways.  Plus, to feel fully integrated therein is exceedingly special.  

Samson Society is the coolest venue I've experienced where talking openly about one's sin actively interrupts Satan's wiles.  As such, it's during those sweet episodes where there's great risk.  Risk that God can and certainly does use to grow us forward as his children.