The whirlwind of Chirstmas is behind us now. Hopefully you survived...everything in tact! One of my favorite parts of the holidays is the time I get to spend with friends, whether it's going to a party, taking in a special event together or just catching up with those who live far away via telephone calls or our Christmas letters. Friends play an important part in our lives and, in my opinion, they are one of the precious gifts God has given us!
I'm sure you can recall many moments in your life when the words, gesture or actions of a friend made all the difference in the world to you. Our friends have the power to help us and heal us through the ups and downs of our lives. I do beleive that God puts specific people in our lives at very specific times. If that's the case, then it's also true that God puts me (or you) in somebody's life at a specific time. So then we have to ask ourselves..."Who is it that I need to be a friend to, right now?"
Friendship is a precious thing and if we're not careful, despite all of of our good intentions, it can go by the wayside. Before the "busy-ness" of 2005 takes over, I want to encourage you to look for ways to strengthen your friendships. Tell your friends how important they have been and/or continue to be in your life, write them a note expressing your appreciation to them or pray for them on a regular basis. But let's not stop there! I want to challenge you (as I'm challenging myself) to intentionally look for ways to bring new people into your personal circle. God may have a new special friend out there for you, but you may have to take the initiative to nurture and develop the relationship. Most importantly, God wants us to share with those around us how they can find the "ultimate" friend--through a relationship with Jesus. Think about who in your life needs your friendship and the friendship of a loving Savior!
On a more personal note, thank you for your friendship to me. You continually minster to me through your thoughtful words, actions and prayers and because of that I am a rich woman indeed!
"I thank my God at every remembrance of you" Phillipians 1:3.
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