Friends

Last night I was blessed to spend almost four hours with a special group of friends. In September, I was the common link to all but one gal. The others had never met, or had only met a couple times. We came together to do the Captivating study by John and Stasi Eldredge, a book and study which I highly recommend all women get, read, and really chew on what she talks about in the book. It's a great study and even better when you go through it with other women. Our group did not meet last week because of Thanksgiving, so we were all happy to be back together and catch up with each other. Our group has become a close knit bunch of friends, who support each other, pray for and with one another, and encourage each other. I missed last week when we were not together, and something in my week definitely seemed to be missing.

It's important to have others in our lives, who can help us out when we are struggling, who can celebrate with us when good things happen, who can hold us accountable when we go off the path we were on, and who are there to laugh and cry with us through good times and the tough times. I have had a hard time in the past letting others in to my life because of past experiences of betrayal and backstabbing. However, when you seek out true friends and use discernment, you can be richly blessed by letting others into your life, to see the real you. I am grateful for a group of diverse woman on Tuesday's who have all become good, trusted friends. I am thankful that God brought a group of woman together, who through other circumstances would not be a group of woman who would have just become friends easily, but HE knew what we all needed and HE brought this group together, for love, support, encouragement, and friendship. I needed that. I think others in the group did as well. Before this group, I really only let a couple people in to the deep depths of my life. One lives in Moscow, my dearest and closest friend, and one is in this group. I am thankful for Godly women in my life. I am thankful for friendship.

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!
Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, 12