Friends

I am having a hard time believing it’s already February.  The 9^th of February even!  Where did January go?  There were many things I thought I would accomplish in January and the calendar has already turned to the second month and my ‘to do’ list still isn’t done.  Can anyone relate?

I have had many things to contemplate since the New Year and one of them is friendship.  At our Tuesday study group we spent some time affirming each other and sharing the positive things we see in each other.  It was an awesome and humbling experience.  It amazed me how differently others see us than how we see ourselves.   I barely recognized the girl my friends were describing as they talked with me.  It was healing to my soul to be so encouraged and I appreciate their love and thoughtfulness so much.

I had an equally good time sharing with them ways they have been a blessing to me.  They have all been an inspiration at one time or another and it was fun to let them know that.  We laughed and cried together – mostly cried! – and I think we all were glad we took the time to express our thoughts to each other.  It was definitely a January highlight.   Now if we could just keep the snow away on Tuesday’s so we could get together again!

My friends have been a mainstay all through my life but especially in the past three years.  I just received a text from a friend that simply said, “Been praying for you.  I love you.”  She has no idea what my day has been like or that I am writing about friendship and it’s not the first time she, or others, have said or done just the right thing at the right time.  Tonight someone let me know just by their gentle, caring attitude that they knew I wasn’t ‘up to par’.  I appreciate that and it’s such a comfort to know people care.

Having friends who will rejoice with you is just as important as having them there for the tough times.  It’s so much fun to have someone be excited with you when you get an unexpected blessing or you finally jump a hurdle that has been in your way or you get to do something you’ve been waiting on for a long time.   Laughter with friends is truly healing medicine.

And prayer.  The prayers my friends have prayed for me have, I’m sure, kept me going.  They don’t always pray with me.  I may not even know they have prayed until days or even weeks later, perhaps I don’t know it at all but they have prayed and God has heard.  They have prayed for me when they are hurting or confused or struggling because they are faithful friends.  They have prayed for me when they are on top of the world and they know I’m not, because they are faithful friends.  They have prayed when they are tired of praying for me and when they don’t know what to pray, because they are faithful friends.  Some have prayed in the middle of the night because God knew He could awaken them and they would be faithful to do for me what I could not do for myself.

When you put my family and my friends together, I am one of the most blessed women alive right now.  They have all held me together and I am so very grateful.   My heart has struggled and been empty and I’ve been confused and sad, but they have stuck with me and pushed me forward.  I love them so.

I pray you have faithful friends in your life and if you don’t, get out there and make some.  Involve yourself and find ways to be a blessing to others; you will reap much more than you sow!

And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you.

Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!

2 Corinthians 9:14-15 NLT