Dear Friends,
I have been thinking a lot
about Friendship lately.
More and more I see
the value of friendship…or…the
lack thereof.
Recently I received a card from
a friend that said,
“I believe in friends & the
healing that comes from
laughter, tears, and stories
shared.
I believe in wisdom
that can be found in having fun
and in the bonds that are formed
out of trust and honesty.
I believe in the
strength of one hand holding
another through times of trouble
and in the miracles of perfectly
timed hugs and smiles.
I believe in
friendship and am thankful you
are my friend.”
I believe that friendship is
all of those things but I
believe
true friendship goes
even beyond that.
I believe true
friendship involves
action:
doing something for
someone else while expecting
nothing in return; sharing
thoughts & feelings without fear
of judgment or negative
criticism.
I believe true friendship
involves
relationship. Many people say, "Oh, he's a good friend of
mine," yet they never take time
to spend time with that "good
friend." Friendship takes
time: time to get to
know each other, time to build
shared memories, time to invest
in each other's growth.
I believe
trust is essential to true friendship. We all need someone
with whom we can share our
lives, thoughts, feelings,
frustrations, deepest secrets.
I believe that
faithfulness and
loyalty are key to
true friendship.
I believe real friends
encourage one another
&
forgive one another
where there has been an offense.
Genuine friendship
supports during times
of struggle.
I believe true friends
are
dependable. In true friendship,
unconditional love
develops. We love our friends no
matter what & we always want the
best for our friends.
True friendship stories are
found throughout the Bible.
Genuine friendship, also called
"agape" love, comes from the
Lord. The Lord Jesus calls us
His friends and He laid down His
life for us (John 15).
God's Word tells us
that a friend sticks closer than
a brother, & that in order for
one to be a friend, one must
show themselves friendly
(Proverbs 18:24). There is no
greater example than the love of
God for us. He gave His only
begotten Son, Jesus Christ, in
order that our friendship with
God might be restored.
I believe the friend
who sent me that card is my true
friend.
Not all of us are
fortunate to have a true friend
in our lives.
Do you need a friend?
God wants to be your true friend.
Are you longing for
companionship?
God is always with you
(Hebrews 13:5).
Who do you know that
needs a true friend today?
God wants you to
befriend others.
He calls us to be His
hands and feet in a world
starving for
true friendship.
Remember to Keep Praisin’ The
Lord, No Matter What!
Patsy