One of the biggest complaints that I hear from women is that they don't have deep relationships whether they compare them to ones they may have had in the past or if it's just not something they are good at. I just wanted to share about how the need for friendship is being fulfilled in my life. My closest and longest relationships just happen to be with women who live in different cities than I. Over the last seven years, since we have all scattered to different places, we have made tremendous effort and sacrifice to make sure we at least see eachother once a year. In between those times, we often email, text or send a good old fashioned letter or card in the mail. I know I have shared that the past few years I have pulled back my heart and my connection with people around me. Many times I have been in a room full of people and have felt more lonely than ever. In my bible study and prayer time, God would always pull me back to how much I needed to be close to women right here in my city, in His church. I started by just praying about who was one person that I could connect with. I was very honest with God about where I was in my fear to give my heart again, about needing someone to accept me right where I was~ weaknesses and all. It became more and more clear who this woman would be. She is "just" a few years younger than me with a toddler and a newborn. I called her and asked her if she would be interested in being my friend. I know right, just like asking a guy "to go with me" in junior high and highschool : ) It was amazing as she shared that she, too, had been praying and had thought alot about wanting to be closer to me. We set some expectations and I was very open with her about where I was spiritually ( I actually had studied the bible with her years prior and helped her to become a disciple). There were a few things we felt very deeply about if we were going to be in eachother's lives. One was that we would meet at least once a week and would guard that time with our lives. We set a specific day and time. It just automatically goes into my schedule ( I plan my week on Sunday evenings). Second, is that nothing was too deep, too "bad" that we couldn't talk about with eachother. Third, we agreed that we would use the bible as our standard to help and encourage one another. I can not tell you enough how God has blessed this relationship. We both have very busy lives but the world just stops for that hour and a half. I guess I have always felt real pressure that I needed to be close to everyone because I was the women's ministry staff and married to the minister. I have found it an impossiblility to do so, not in the way I would want or have felt what others wanted. The conviction that I am gaining is that what I CAN do is to live by example. That if I can be a real live image bearer, living out scriptures in my daily life, I can be connected to many. Going back to my friend, Thursdays at 9:30am is the only place I want to be or need to be. God has shown me His love, grace, acceptance, forgiveness, discipline,correction, teachings, encouragement, peace, joy, the list goes on and on because our relationship is based on a devotinn to the scripture and to one another. I pray that every woman would have this amazing experience in their lives. I also want to share about what we have in The Knoxville Church that is a great way to be close to other woman ( I know many churches have these) is through the Family Group that you choose to be apart of. I absolutley LOVE my family group. It hasn't been about what I get out of it but as I have changed in my heart and mind ( known as repentance- 1 Corinthians 7: 8~13) and have given those things to my family group, I am having the best experience in a group setting. We make dinner for eachother just because we are thinking of one another. Every person involved has made the decision to simply not give up meeting together ( Hebrews 10:25) and the plan will work its way out. It's not necessarily what we do as much as we are together. On another note, I know texting is not the same as seeing eachother face to face but it's here and it's here to stay so why not use it as a tool to connect throughout the week. I may not have time to have a twenty minute conversation, but I do have ten seconds to tell someone I am thinking of them or send a scripture while my gas tank is being filled or while I am waiting in line at the bank ( surely not while driving ). Here are some scriptures in reference to what God's plan is for our relationships. Start with prayer, start with openess, start small, start deep and you will be amazed at how close you will feel to God and in your relationships. Sue, thank you for being the reason Thursday is my favorite day of the week. I love you. ( In pic, Jane, Kim and Sue)
John 13: 34~35
Romans 12: 9~13
Romans 13:8
Romans 15: 7
1 Peter 1:22
Hebrews 3:13
Colossians 3:13
Ephesians 4
Ephesians 5: 19~21
