My heart is turned to friendship currently. Sunday is the last day our current Worship Minister will lead worship and his family will move from Amarillo by the end of the month. His wife and I are super close and she is one of my closest friends ever. We are all thrilled for them because they are moving closer home and their precious girls can be closer to their grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles. They are also going to a church where Steven can use his guitar gifts and lead instrumental worship. You know that feeling of being so happy for someone and just so sad because of the loss all at the same time.
And it has me reflecting on friendship. My friend Scott sent me an article to read, actually a chapter of a book, a few months ago. It was talking about the spiritual aspects of friendship and the way we befriend others. I am intrigued by relationships and feel most alive in the midst of intimate relationships. All that to say I have been pondering these thoughts for a while and they are finally coming together.
Tonight we had a time of blessing and goodbye for Steven and Ange and as we all sat around and spoke words of affirmation and love to them I was struck by how powerful times like that are. As our preacher Dan spoke to Steven, he said that "Steven had the ability to make the people around him better." Dan was specifically referring to the fact that he feels like a better preacher because of the kind of worship minister Steven is. That is a powerful affirmation.
Ange I will miss hanging out with you. I love you. We have shared so much. You crack me up. You challenge me. You make me feel normal (hee hee). You're an angel!
How does friendship make you a better person?
5 comments:
Arlene – how amazing is friendship?! Only God could have come up with something as blessed as the gift of a true friend.
It’s difficult to think about friendship and my mind not go to the awesome friendship God blessed David and Jonathan with…even though Jonathan knew he would not follow his father Saul as King, he still loved and supported David with his life.
As I read your post – and even now, my mind is racing with thoughts of the wonderful friends God has blessed me with, both now and growing up – I truly am blessed.
Thank you for the reminder.
A few scripture that crossed my mind as I was writing…
Wounds from a friend can be trusted,
Proverbs 27:6
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
Proverbs 17:17
…there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Proverbs 18:24
Have a great weekend...
I'm sorry your friends are moving - that is so hard!
If I remember correctly, your worship minister has quite the sense of humor based on comments here.
Arlene,
Being happy for others you're going to miss. I DO know that feeling.
I'm curious to know what you're reading about friendship. Last fall, I spoke at a "Friends' Day" and decided to talk about, what else, friendship. In preparing for that, I was struck by the ways the Bible undermines or reorients common notions of friendship. I'd like to revisit those thoughts sometime.
Frank, I am referring in this post to Chapter 7 from Pilgrim Heart. I keep saying it, but we really want you guys to come over and we can talk in person!
Yes - I know the feeling you are talking about - of happiness and sadness all rolled up together. That's exactly how I felt when YOU headed for the Texas Panhandle - leaving Dallas in your rearview mirror. And I STILL miss having you around, my friend!
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