In my last post, I mentioned some friends going through some serious trials and I didn’t end up saying all that I intended. I am amazed as I see God’s hand lead through these different situations and His Spirit provide strength, wisdom, insight and patience as various events unfold. For each of these friends, I have done my best to be encouraging and lift these matters up to the Lord in prayer, but honestly, I find myself being encouraged and challenged to put God first in my life, in a real way, not just a Sunday morning kind of way, as a result of my friends.
In the past year, Mary and I have made some new, close friends, at church and other places, as well. We have realized that we have closer friends now than we have had in awhile, it takes quite awhile when you relocate to settle in and after 3 years, we are finally getting there, it seems.
Well, now, in the past 6 months, we have been through events within our church that have caused us to evaluate where we are, what’s important for us and our family and where is God leading us. I have mentioned it here before, we ultimately left the comfort of our church home and now several months later are at a new church where we are making some friends and experiencing worship in a new way.
In the past 6 months, I have seen God work in me and all around me in new ways and I’m experiencing His faithfulness in ways I never have. I say all of this for a reason, seriously.
There are friends at our old church that we are probably closer to now, even though we left that church. In the past 2 months, we have made new friends, not just at our new church but in a variety of ways. It’s a God thing, seriously. The new friends we have made are instantly close friends, it’s really neat, there has been a quick connection with several families.
I say all of this for a reason, seriously. These friends going through all the junk that I mentioned in the last post, are both some of these ‘new’ friends we have acquired. (Do you ever re-read what you write? I just re-read the last sentence and it sounded like we got a good deal on some friends at a flea market! I can’t pass up a bargain like that, though.) The reason for my rambling is to say that I am fascinated by God, seeing Him lead us to these new friends where we basically have an instant connection, and God pushes and grows all of us through these life situations.
Admittedly, we have more close friends at this point in our life than we have ever had and I thank God and give Him all of the credit and glory. It’s difficult to walk with these friends through their trials, seeing their struggles, but I am able to see them grow and surrender their all to God. What an encouragement and what a testimony! Praise God!
We will all face trials and I know I will have trials and I thank the Lord, bigtime, as I consider all the great friends around me, old and new, close and far away.