Friendships.
God has blessed me to an overflow with women surrounding me who love Him and love me too. Tears fill my eyes as I type this because I feel so unworthy of the gift these people give me by just simply letting me be me and simply loving me anyway.
This past Saturday, I was at Beulah Baptist Church for their annual Women's Thanksgiving and Christmas Celebration as one of their speakers. What a sweet group of women! Their hearts were so welcoming and inviting and each of them made sure you felt as if you belonged there before you left. It was a fun day. We ate, we played games. We laughed and we cried and it was good.
But- one of the biggest blessings for me on Saturday was this - Keep in mind, I was going to speak to a group of women I did not know in a place I had never been. My friend, Mitzi, rode along with me for "moral support" (she's one of my biggest cheerleaders!) and I was so thankful that she took time out of her Saturday to go with me, I know how valuable Saturdays are to a working mom. To our surprise, when I pulled into the parking lot of the church, we spotted a familiar vehicle and had to take a second glance. It was my friend Brittany's car. She came along to support me too. She surprised me, blessed me, and encouraged me with her presence.
My heart smiled.
You see, I experienced the gift in a close godly friend several years ago, but our lives began to change, and distance has since separated us. After she moved away, I was left with a hole for a long time. I prayed, and prayed often, for God to send me another godly friend, but for a long while, that prayer went unanswered. If you have ever experienced a friendship where you are able to pray together holding nothing back, able to share scripture, and a relationship that has the openness to ask the hard questions, you know what I am talking about. It is a relationship that is irreplaceable. I longed to have it again and after a few years God answered that prayer in my friend, Brittany.
And in my friend, Leslie.
And He is cultivating wonderful things in my friendships with several other wonderful women right now, and I thank every one of you for your influence in my life. It means more to me than you know.
God just keeps answering that prayer, and I am reaping the benefits.
If you don't have a true friend that will share the Word with you, pray with and for you, and be truly honest with you, oh, dear sister, you are missing out! You need one or two, or twelve! It grows me in ways that I cannot grow on my own. I challenge you to pray that prayer for a godly friend and be open to what He does with it. Be willing to be that kind of friend to somebody.
God, my Best Friend, I am so thankful for the abundance of friendships that you have given me and most thankful for your friendship. I pray that you whisper into the hearts of my friends today a special word of encouragement. A Divine brush with your shoulder. I pray that this Thanksgiving season will mark a new season in their relationship with You. Take them to new places and assure them of how much they are loved, not only loved by You, but also loved by me. Show me ways to be the same kind of friend to each of them that they have been to me.
What is on your ThankFULL list for today? Do you have a friend you are thankful for that you would like to comment about? I'm sure she would be honored if you did. You could email her a link to this post and let her read for herself what she means to you.
Royal Princess Daughter Of The King
I had always wanted a friend. Ive always known plenty of people, but to have a friend who loved their family fiercely, who loved and respected their husbands with words and actions, who sought to be more like Christ. Someone to laugh with, cry with, joke around with, and be serious with. I wanted a bff. :) I prayed for what seemed like an eternity, once God had saved me, and helped release me from so much bondage, just for a friend, straight from His heart, in the form of another woman. O how faithful He is. He gave me Jennifer. I treasure her. shes one of the greatest gems in my treasure box. I love her. My journey thru life hasnt been as rewarding since she chose to link arms with me, and us walk thru it together. I admire her, her heart, and her family. her unconditional love is inspiring, challenging and encouraging. I am beyond thankful for the gift of her friendship.
ReplyDeleteI think men in general have a very hard time with friendships with other men. We are so 'geared' towards small talk, and finding our identity in what we do, instead of who we are. Opening up to another guy is challenging.
ReplyDeleteGrowing up, and all through school I was the 'loner'. Even through much of my adult life, after school, my kids became my focus.
Over the past 2 years God has blessed me abundantly with friendships. I didn't go out seeking them, they found me. Great godly men that God has used to help shape me into who I am today.
I was thinking back to last year and the friendships I had last November. Over the course of the year I see some friendships have completely changed, others have strengthened over the year, and new ones have came about.
A friendship that God has been growing and cultivating over this year is my friendship with Brett Glover. Going through ministry and doing life together throughout the year. I remember going to lunch with him shortly after his trip to Africa, and hearing where his heart was.
I knew then, God was doing something really amazing in his life. Watching our friendship grow and change throughout the year has been a tremendous blessing, and I consider it a gift from God.
I am thankful for Brett, our friendship, and his heart for God, his family, his ministry. I love him a lot.
Even before I ready the last paragraph, I was thinking about forwarding this post to my dear friend Wendy. Friends may come and go, but Godly friends stick with you no matter what. I am thankful that God sent Wendy to me!
ReplyDeleteGod has revealed a lot of things to me this past year. I have realized the importance of some things and what I need to stop fretting over because it is "small stuff". I don't know that I have developed a really close friendship with any one paticular Godly person (I'm still praying though), but I have made a very close connection with Kathy Madden. In our short time after services, we have discussed lots of difference in each of our lives over the past year. We can relate! I just want her to know that I really appreciate her friendship, encouragement and strength! She is a true inspiration of the POWER of GOD!
ReplyDeleteJulia Meyer
ditto....Amy! I'm so thankful for you! We both know that I would not be where I am today were it not for you! That was the first God-centered friendship I've ever experienced and I'm so thankful God allowed it. He sure gave us some special times together that I will treasure for a life time. I know that we're not glued to one another like we once were, but I also know that we share a special place in each other's hearts that will never be able to be erased or replaced. Thanks for being the truth teller, encourager, and prayer warrior in my life! Love you more than you know!
ReplyDeleteBrittany
Oh how true. Without you and Cathy to laugh with, cry with, and lean on I don't know where i would be. I am so thankful God gave me both of you to share that special bond with and that you both will tell me the truth even when i don't want to hear it but know its the truth. Love Ya.
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