A Friend in Need

We are not meant to navigate this lifetime journey alone. Our spirits yearn for the satisfaction of sharing our lives with others.

For someone like me, who craves ‘alone’ time, this can be a conundrum. 

While I find solace in peace and quiet, and I know a solitary walk in the woods will recharge my spirit, there are times when my heart aches to share a burden with a friend.

God has placed special people, prayerful people, in my life, in whom I can confide. I honestly believe the prayers of these friends have been life-changing for me. But before I could receive their love, I had to reach out and share my heart.

Being a friend is as important as having a friend. Listening is the best skill we can develop. It’s hard sometimes, to bite my tongue and let the other person finish talking. I want to interject an idea or suggestion. It takes practice, but being a good listener is sometimes the only comfort a friend needs in times of trouble.

Photo courtesy Best Light Photography

I’ve grown to cherish my friendships, and the uplifted feeling I get when I share time with a good friend. When I am having a day when the world seems against me, I remind myself of my friendships, and it soothes my spirit to know that I am loved.

And the truth is, we are never alone. There is One who walks beside us in every step of this lifetime journey. The comfort of knowing that God is near me always blesses my spirit with peace in troubling times.

Even when a friend is not available to talk, I can speak to God and His Spirit sends me comfort. His Presence in my life is a soothing balm. No matter what happens, I am never alone.

I believe we are meant to share our lives with close friends, intimately sharing the joys and concerns of our hearts. But I know God wants to share all of this with us, too. Every problem we share with Him is an opportunity to know His Peace. And the peace that God provides surpasses our ability to understand it. Just savor it, and let it seep deeply into your awareness.

And in turn, when joyful feelings lift our spirits, we should come to God in gratitude for the blessings He provides. Sharing happy times and cherishing our blessings gives us the balance we need in our lives.

In truth, the gift of His Peace in times of difficulty can move us to feel joy, and thus to share our gratitude. This brings us into an endless cycle of connectedness to God. And truthfully, that is what He desires with us, a relationship.

Just as with our friendships here on earth, we give and receive in our relationship with God.

A friend in need is a friend indeed. This saying is so true. Don’t be afraid to share your heart with others. I spent far too much time holding all my troubles inside and trying to weather them alone. As my sweet sister says, “A problem shared is a problem cut in half”, and it’s true! Our burdens are lifted when we share them with a trusted friend.

And remember, God is only a thought away. If we cultivate our friendship with Him daily, just by talking to Him every day, it will be natural for us to turn to Him to share our joys and our sorrows. God is near, and He wants to be the best friend we ever have.  

Sweet Sisters in Christ

Often we feel as if we are going through this life all alone. We keep our thoughts and feelings to ourselves, and sometimes the ache of our sorrows is more than we can bear.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. We can lighten our load by sharing our hearts with our sweet sisters in Christ.

I have been blessed with one sweet sister with whom I have shared my entire life. Through marriage I’ve been blessed to gain sisters (in-law) as well as nieces who have grown into wonderful Christian women and mothers. I am so blessed to have these women in my life, to share our lives and our family stories .

Over the years, I have met some wonderful women whose hearts have connected with mine, and through our shared loved of Christ, we have been bound in His love. One such friend watched me as I was born again in the faith as a young mother, and shared in my joy as I grew to know Jesus as my personal Savior.

I have had wonderful friends who have shared in my joys and trials through the years as I've raised my sons. I have shared in their lives, too, as we’ve tried to fulfill our roles as good wives and mothers, while raising our children in the faith.

I don’t know how I would traverse this road of life without my sweet sisters in Christ. At first, it was difficult for me to open up, to share those innermost fears and weaknesses.

As I began to reach out to others, I realized that all of us have trepidation as we struggle to find our way in this life.  Occasionally we question our importance to other people, or doubt our abilities at parenting and motherhood.

When we share our troubles with a friend, we are released from carrying our burdens alone. When we open up about our difficulties, we may find the issue is one our friend has recently dealt with, too. They can share their experience, and perhaps work together for a solution to cope with the problem.

By sharing our joys and our internal conflicts, out loud and up close and personal, we test our faith by giving these dark thoughts to the light of day. When we open up and let those deep-held secrets out, we begin to see them as surmountable, and we are affirmed and challenged at the same time to keep pushing forward in our desire to fight the good fight.

A wonderful blessing I have received through sharing my life with others is the privilege of hearing their life stories, too. I am honored when someone trusts me with sharing a problem that has been on their heart. By opening up to share their trial or grief with me, our friendship grows in mutual respect and trust.  

It lifts my spirits to share in the joys of my friends, and I offer prayers of gratitude for the happiness and peace they have found. And when a friend shares their heart with me about a difficult situation, I am honored to pray on their behalf for God’s wisdom and guidance as they work through the problem.

Don’t be afraid to reach out to others, for your burden will be lightened and your heart warmed with the sincere love of a caring friend. And in turn, you may be blessed to share in the lives of those who are special to you.

As my circle of sisters grows, our friendships deepen, and the love and trust we bestow on one another is shared even further. And through that sharing, everyone grows.

All Good Things

The simple truth is that within each day there is beauty, and it is up to every one of us to find it.

It may be as simple as the robin outside my window, with its russet breast and bright yellow beak, or the butterfly that flutters by in search of sweet nectar.

As my garden grows with the blessing of the spring rains, I delight in each new budding flower. I know that soon shades of pink will cover the landscape, as that is my favorite flower color and I’ve certainly planted enough pink flowering plants.

Earlier today, as the fat robin watched, a bright red cardinal hopped along in the green grass looking for a snack. They are all good things, these little joys, and I find great delight in the simple beauty of the natural world.

Sometimes beauty touches my heart through the gift of friendship. When someone reaches out to me, or I share my heart with a friend, I feel like that connection is the reason we are here. When someone shows they have been thinking of me, or they let me know they have been praying for me, I feel humbled that I could matter that much to someone.

When I open up my heart and share my thoughts or fears, and the friend who hears me tells me they understand, I feel the love they send me and I know I am not alone. Each one of us deserves to know the love of friendship, but sometimes we must be the first one to reach out to someone else. Friendships grow as deep, personal connections are made.

I see beauty in the blue skies overhead. As white clouds drift by, I feel a sense of peacefulness, especially after the gray days and storms we’ve been having lately. The warmth of the sun on my skin causes me to pause and close my eyes. There is beauty in rest, too.

Good things come in all-sized packages. A bright red strawberry hiding amidst the green foliage is a bounty waiting to be picked. Chocolate of any kind is a welcome treat, at pretty much any time. 

Music and laughter are the harmonies of life, and each should be enjoyed in the experience of the moment.

Every day, take time to find the beauty that is waiting to be discovered. Our days go by at a hurried pace, but we must discipline ourselves to pause long enough to absorb the goodness that life has for us. We must direct our thoughts to find and appreciate the gifts of beauty that touch our lives.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above.” When we receive these gifts of beauty, we should pause and offer gratitude for the beauty that has touched our lives. These gifts of life are all good things, and are meant for us to savor.

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights," James 1:17a (NIV)

The Blessing of Friendship

Through structuring our time we hope to find balance amidst the chaos of our lives. The demands on our time just keep coming, and there are only so many usable hours in a day.

Sometimes we just need to “check out”, and that is what I did on Sunday. I spent the afternoon and evening with girlfriends, enjoying girl talk and taking a nature walk and seeing a movie that would be far too sappy for my rough and tough guys. Ah, yes, the blessings of a girlfriend day.

My family was a little bit surprised when I checked out of my familial responsibilities for one afternoon and evening. I received rather surprised looks from my boys when I finally came home. They hadn’t seen me since the morning at church, and I received some raised eyebrows and a few comments when I finally wandered home a couple of hours after dark. I could tell they were joking, and yet it is unusual for me not to be here and available for everyone.

 

The next day I was still smiling remembering the thoughts shared over lunch. There is joy in sharing the ideas on my heart, and I cherish how freely I can talk with my sweet friend. So many subjects were broached, and so many thoughts were shared. It occurred to me that none of the topics would have been something I would have enjoyed discussing with my husband, and that actually is a very good thing.

The balance we find by having friends in our lives who share our interests is a blessing that fills our spirit. We validate who we are when we are accepted and loved and are free to share the deepest thoughts on our hearts. It is different sharing with a girlfriend than with a spouse. No matter how understanding my husband is, he simply can’t relate to the way I see the world the way another woman can. And living in a completely male household, I need to have the companionship of someone who shares my perspective once in awhile.

Deep friendships are like spring rains. They wash away all the residual layers that life leaves on you, revealing a fresh openness. Releasing all the thoughts that I carry inside me is refreshing and satisfying, and lightens my load as I go forward. I love it when a friend opens her heart to me, and I get a glimpse into the part of herself that she holds so closely. It is an honor and a privilege to share in another person’s life story.

Friendship is a gift, joyously shared and greatly treasured. I wouldn’t want to do this life without my girlfriends. There was a time when I didn’t have close friends, and I felt very alone. If you are in this place, reach out to someone to begin a friendship. I remember telling my sons when they were younger, “To have friends, you need to be a friend.” It was an attempt to teach them to be accepting and non-judgmental and kind.

All of us walk our own life’s journey, but to share our insights and questions with someone who accepts us just as we are is a blessing and a joy. This is my wish for everyone, to know love and acceptance and the ability to share that part of yourself that is uniquely you.

"A friend loves at all times..." Proverbs 17:17

Hope from a Chance Encounter

Have you ever had a chance meeting with someone, and afterward knew in your heart that God had placed that person in your path?

I was walking through the main hallway at church during services. No one else was around when I ran into him, a friend I knew from church. A friend, I knew, who was dealing with a deadly disease, just as I was.

He had found so many healthful ways to improve his lifestyle and health through the practice of yoga and eating well. I wanted to know this wellness, and use it for the battle I was facing. I wanted to use healthful choices instead of drugs, and I was uncertain of following the doctor’s path of medication and treatments.

But this friend got my attention and made me listen. He told me that the healthful choices would be good for me, but first I had to use everything in my power to stop the disease. He knew the aggressiveness of the enemy battling inside me. He helped me to understand that I had to first use all of my arsenal to stop the progress of the disease. Then, I could choose healthful ways for my lifestyle that would improve my overall quality of life and health going forward.

In hindsight, I know God put my friend in my path that day. I had difficult decisions to make and I needed to talk to someone even though I had not realized it. God placed me in the hallway at the precise time to run into my friend, and equipped him with the words I needed to hear.

Sometimes it just happens that way.

Just the other week I was at church, in the same main hallway on a weekday, and ran into a dear friend whom I haven’t seen in awhile. We chatted about many things, and then the conversation turned more serious. I shared with her about issues that were tucked away in my heart, and I cried and we embraced and the encounter was so incredibly meaningful and helpful to me. I hope it was for her, too. And I know God placed us in the same place on that day for a reason, to be there for each other.

Some may say things happen for a reason. Some are as assured of coincidental happenings as others are of fate. I know the feeling I have after sharing time with an amazing person who takes the time to really hear me. It is a gift. I feel renewal and connectedness, and go forward with gratefulness that I have been given the gift of friendship.

I can only hope that I have been that person for someone else when they needed a friend. The gift of ourselves is the sweetest present we can give. Sharing our time, and a little bit of our heart, spreads God’s love beyond ourselves.

As someone receives our gift of love, they will know His peace, and be ready to go forward to share love with someone else. In this way we fulfill the destiny of human kind. We never know how far a kindness will reach, and sometimes, that kindness is given to us. And that is truly a reason to be thankful.