When I was a teenager my mom once told me, "You can count your true friends on one hand." Of course, at the time, I thought the more the merrier. As years went by and I matured I began to understand what my mom meant. There are friends, and then there are the friends you do life with. It's with these friends you experience love, birth, pain, joy, celebration, loss and sometimes even death. These are the friends who rally the troops around you to pick you up and carry you.
This is the face of our small-group at church. We have laughed together and shared with each other our burdens and sorrows. We have helped one another through trials and shared scripture and quiet moments in prayer. Every Friday night we gather together, share a meal, laugh, dive into God's word and I can't help but be reminded of the first century church.
My husband and I have been greatly blessed during a trying time as these people (as well as some, who cared for us anonymously) have come beside us to minister to our physical and spiritual needs. They are doers. They give freely and ask for nothing in return. We are often left speechless as we experience God using them in our life and we feel completely humbled by the manner in which they surround us to bring words of affirmation and hope.
In doing life together I've been reminded of this verse calling us to care for one another:
1 Corinthians 12: 25-26
"...so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it."
My husband and I have had many opportunities to reflect, and we both have come to the same conclusion: we are forever changed by each of these people. God has left his imprint on us by using them in our life.
5 comments:
Those kinds of friends, the ones who have seen us at our best and our worst, they are a treasure worth holding onto for sure! Thank you so much for sharing this snapshot with us. Thank you for the reminder about how valuable our relationships are and what a ministry we can be to one another.
Blessings on you!
~Lisa-Jo
Beautiful post! I love how you recognize "friends you do life with."
I think it's so important that you've seen (and are sharing with us!) how much encouragement of all forms means and the great lessons of love and being humble that come from it! I also loved your last line: "God has left his imprint on us by using them in our life."
Okay, true. Totally true. But AHEM! There were more of us than you can count on one hand!!! :P
Mar...you know math has NEVER been my strong suit!!! But you are oh so right...thank you for the blessing of your friendship!
this is one of the things i most about living in Kansas...we had the most amazing small group--been with them for like 3 years straight.
we have yet to find something like that out here in orlando...i miss it sooooo.
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