Uncategorized

Friends Forever

JodiSeptember 12, 2020

I am old enough that when I was a teenager, we actually wrote paper notes to our friends. The notes were often written in various handwritten fonts, usually of several different colors and sometimes in glittery pen with maybe a sticker or original doodle art added if it was really special. Even the folding of the note was unique as it often involved intricate techniques with tucked in corners that made opening the note a challenge in itself. The end of every note from a good friend was signed with something like Your Name + Your Friends Name = BFF. That acronym is still used but it seems to have lost its meaning. Not every casual friend can truly earn that best friend status and those that last forever are few and far between.

My pastor gave an awesome sermon on Sunday about friendship and as I listened to him, God revealed something to my heart. I came across this quote today which so perfectly reflected what I felt:

Friends are miracles, sent by God so that we can glimpse the beauty of heaven and feel the warmth of His divine touch…so is it any wonder why I thank God for you?

–Unknown

I hope everyone has the chance to have friends as amazing as mine. When I am with them, I experience the best of life as created by God himself- joy, laughter, fun, support, freedom, safety, forgiveness, sisterhood, compassion, encouragement, honesty and love. My friends allow me to be who I am; they see the best in me and who I am called to be and they encourage me to walk in God’s promise for my life. They are not afraid to speak words of truth in love and they always lift me up when my strength is failing. They celebrate with me in good times and cry with me in times of trouble. My friends are not perfect, but they perfectly show me as a collective group who God is and what heaven will truly be like.

My core group of friends are all followers of Christ, so I know that I will spend eternity with them as the sisters we have always considered ourselves to be. Often life gets in the way of being able to spend as much time as I would like with these special women, but I know that in eternity, our adventures together will outnumber the grains of sand on a seashore. I long for the day when we see each other after we have entered the New Heaven and New Earth. I know that the tears will flow at first as we are overcome, but then as reality sets in- everyone better cover their ears as the squealing will commence. We will grab each others hands and jump up and down with excitement, all of us chattering on about what we have seen and what we will do first. Exploring all that Jesus has created for us will be so amazing.

Friendship is God’s idea, as are all beautiful things. The Lord is always faithful to provide exactly what we need at exactly the time we need it. God has allowed everything in my life to happen as it has and have woven into my life’s tapestry the bright and rich colors that are my friends. My life would never be the same without them. Their attributes have reflected those of Christ and have allowed my faith to grow- they have sharpened me as the Bible says, in that “iron sharpens iron.” They have made me a better person and they have kept me walking on the narrow path when I have been tempted to veer away. The Lord has blessed me beyond measure and I am ecstatic when I think this is just a glimpse of what is to come.

• Dedicated to the Mag 7, Denise and Cassie. Love you girls!!