Friends

My heart and mind have been full of the blessings of friends the last couple of weeks. They are such a precious gift from God.

Growing up as a little girl, I remember a few friends, not very many, but I loved them and we had fun.. then when I was about 9,  I left that group of friends, and lived with my grandparents, where I was surrounded by friends.. close friends. I was part of a community and church all wrapped up in one. We went to church, went to school, and had social activities together all the time, with the same people or the same type of people. Only socializing with others who belonged to our same church denomination. There was a lot of singing, playing games, visiting, working, playing... it was safe, comfortable, fun, loving, nurturing and actually just plain beautiful. I made some bad choices though, and left, (got excommunicated) from this precious group of people/friends that I loved and felt happy with. So... I had to find a whole new group of friends.. people to hang with... I left with my bags in hand and moved to McPherson, not really knowing anybody on the "outside"....

Obviously, since I was expelled from a church, my choices weren't lining up with God's will..and it was amazing how quickly I found "friends". They weren't the kind of friends I would choose now, nor that I would ever want my children choosing. These friends opened up my eyes to a whole new world. With these friends, I experienced life on a college campus..Aggieville was a lot of fun, the bars in McPherson held lots of opportunities of new things to try and do, and I realized that if you party hard enough, you can overwhelm the Still Small Voice that calls you, and wants you to come back to Him. This new group of friends and I had fun.. a lot of fun, but honestly.. fun only lasts so long.... I realized I was running from Him. I don't know why I chose to do that, when He alone gives peace, comfort, and love that never goes away... The darkness you can sink to when you turn away and run from God is deceitful, you don't realize how low you're going until you give in to God, turn around and look at what you've done, how you've changed, and what you've become... So.. this brings me to my next set of friends....

Since this is really about friends, I won't go into the story of how God got a hold of me.. but He did. My friend list was very short during this time.. It's kind of hard to be living for God, and hanging with friends who don't care about Him. So.... God started sending me different friends, friends that were putting Him first in their lives, who loved with God's love, who had courage, Godly wisdom, who trusted Him, had faith in Him, who'd asked Him for forgiveness. Friends who were sinners like me, washed in the blood of Jesus, sanctified, redeemed, covered in the righteousness of God, no matter what kind of sins God had to throw into the sea of forgetfulness.. The ground is truly level at the foot of the cross. These new friends that God keeps sending into our lives... we prayed for them. I prayed earnestly for God to send us friends that loved Him, friends that were full of Him, and His truth, and He is... I'm amazed at the variety of friends He's sending us, so different, but in love with Him and trying to live for Him, getting back up when they fall, praying for guidance, strength, courage, love, faith and Godly wisdom, just like we are. He brings unity and love to His children. He gives us gifts in friends who have been through what we've been through, or can bring a whole different perspective to things we haven't gone through. So... today.. I'm asking God to bless my friends!!!

Jesus, bring comfort to my friends who are hurting today, peace to my friends who are worried, love to my friends who are lonely, blessings to my friends who are courageous, courage to my friends who are feeling weak, faith to my friends who are feeling unsure, hunger for truth and righteousness to my friends who are feeling lukewarm, renewed hearts to my friends who are discouraged.... God bless my friends! In Jesus name, Amen!