"The Christian life is a pilgrimage. At times the road is difficult and we get lonely. Sometimes we may get discouraged and consider abandoning the journey. It is at such times that God will place a friend alongside us. One of God’s most precious gifts to us is friends who encourage us and lovingly challenge us to ‘keep going.’"
By Henry T. Blackaby & Richard Blackaby
from their devotional book, Experiencing God
True friendship is one of the biggest blessings God can give us. I am blessed with wonderful friends: some from childhood, some almost brand new, and quite a few in-between. Years ago, I went through a pruning process--not of my own choosing, but necessary nonetheless. Pruning is always painful, and I thought I'd never be able to truly trust anyone to be, as Anne of Green Gables would say, a "bosom friend." A true friend should "speak the truth in love" if they see that we are turning down a bad path, but should still "love at all times" (Proverbs 17:17), despite our mistakes. 
During that time in my life, there was one friend in particular--one of those childhood friends--who stood by my side through it all. That friend isn't Christian, but God still used her; I firmly believe that God can use anybody, even those who deny his existence.
Doing things the world's way often seems easier than choosing to do things God's way. That's one of the reasons we need friends to encourage us, to be a "Barnabas" for us. Saul, known as an extremely anti-Christian terrorist, came to know and trust Christ, but because of his reputation, Jesus' disciples were afraid to trust him. But Barnabas stood up for Saul (now known as Paul). Paul ended up being an amazing evangelical preacher and wrote numerous books of the Bible, but he would not have been able to join the group of disciples or do such powerful work for Christ without the support and encouragement of Barnabas. Another Biblical story that inspires me is about Daniel, who chose to stick to his beliefs, even when threatened with death. Having friends who shared his commitment to the same beliefs helped him to persevere. They prayed for Daniel, trusted God, and stood by their friend, no matter what the cost (Daniel 2:17-18).
It constantly amazes me how God places just the right person in my life at just the right time, and uses that friendship to bless both me and my friend.
When I decided to homeschool, I didn't know anyone who homeschooled, but over the past few years I have become great friends with many homeschool moms. When Ken and I began to think about adoption, we didn't know very many adoptive parents, but in the past year, I have lost count of how many people now in our lives have blessed or encouraged us in some way because of their experiences or personal knowledge about adoption. I could go on and on about specific ways God has used friends to bless me, and about how God has used me to bless or encourage a friend. Even here in blog-land!
Friends really are one of God's most precious gifts. Thank you to every single friend in my life--past and present, old and new, those I can reach out and hug in person as well as those in blogland I may never actually meet--for all the ways God has used you to bless and encourage me, and for letting God use me to bless and encourage you!
Thanks to Bonnie at "Ink it Blog" for hosting today's "In Other Words"!
During that time in my life, there was one friend in particular--one of those childhood friends--who stood by my side through it all. That friend isn't Christian, but God still used her; I firmly believe that God can use anybody, even those who deny his existence.Doing things the world's way often seems easier than choosing to do things God's way. That's one of the reasons we need friends to encourage us, to be a "Barnabas" for us. Saul, known as an extremely anti-Christian terrorist, came to know and trust Christ, but because of his reputation, Jesus' disciples were afraid to trust him. But Barnabas stood up for Saul (now known as Paul). Paul ended up being an amazing evangelical preacher and wrote numerous books of the Bible, but he would not have been able to join the group of disciples or do such powerful work for Christ without the support and encouragement of Barnabas. Another Biblical story that inspires me is about Daniel, who chose to stick to his beliefs, even when threatened with death. Having friends who shared his commitment to the same beliefs helped him to persevere. They prayed for Daniel, trusted God, and stood by their friend, no matter what the cost (Daniel 2:17-18).
It constantly amazes me how God places just the right person in my life at just the right time, and uses that friendship to bless both me and my friend.
When I decided to homeschool, I didn't know anyone who homeschooled, but over the past few years I have become great friends with many homeschool moms. When Ken and I began to think about adoption, we didn't know very many adoptive parents, but in the past year, I have lost count of how many people now in our lives have blessed or encouraged us in some way because of their experiences or personal knowledge about adoption. I could go on and on about specific ways God has used friends to bless me, and about how God has used me to bless or encourage a friend. Even here in blog-land!Friends really are one of God's most precious gifts. Thank you to every single friend in my life--past and present, old and new, those I can reach out and hug in person as well as those in blogland I may never actually meet--for all the ways God has used you to bless and encourage me, and for letting God use me to bless and encourage you!
"Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up." Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
Thanks to Bonnie at "Ink it Blog" for hosting today's "In Other Words"!
