Friendships

God loves us through our friends, sometimes giving us a taste of His unconditional love for us:
(Prov 17:17 NRSV) A friend loves at all times, and kinsfolk are born to share adversity.
(1 Sam 18:1 NRSV) When David had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was bound to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

Today my devotion was on friendships. I stopped to think about my friends and decided I may possibly have the best in the world. I have a unique situation when it comes to friendships. First there's Daphene (more like a sister than a friend). We've been friends since 4'th grade. I was there when both her children were born, and she was the first to see my children after they were brought home. We have been through marriages together, divorce, loss of children, you name it- we've done it! I could never replace her!!!!! Then there's Rhonda. We too were friends in elementary, were in each others weddings, but we developed as the closest of friends, later in life (after 19). We serve together at church and I'm so thankful for her. Never thought in the days of "hanging out" in my backyard would we be where we are now. So grateful for her!
Then I have my "old" friends.(They really are old- LOL). These are people who were first my mom's friends and now mine. Some were mentors, some were youth directors, some were employers, ALL are loved!!! There are too many of them to name, but you know who you are (Lee Ann, Cathy, etc...) Funny to look back and see how they were "adults" to me and now we are such good friends! God not only used them in my life, he gave them to me as friends when I "grew up".
Then there are my friends at church. In my whole 36 years of life, I've only attended 4 churches and only 2 for long periods (Faith/Manchester for 15 years, and now West End for 8). My friends at West End are the best. Not only do we go to church together, but we serve together, worship together, grow together, and we are soooooo there for each other. I can't begin to fathom all the prayers that they put up for us and all the support they gave through both of our adoptions. I am truly blessed (Sheryl, Tammy P., Lynn, Denise, Carol, Jenny, well.... You know who u r):)
My friends in the church office (Kathy and Joyce) What would I do without their support? Not only church related issues, but personal issues as well as spiritual issues. You two are angels! I guess God knows who we need to keep us strong, to make us feel loved, who needs us, and how it all falls together. The last friend that I considered going down the role was my friend Martha. In a normal world, I would have gone into her store, bought and item and gone home. As it turned out, a discussion led to a life-long friendship that I cherish deeply. God literally placed me in her store just to meet her! I count myself immeasureably blessed to know that "God blesses us through our friends, sometimes giving us a taste of His unconditional love for us" Thank you my dear friends for blessing my life with your friendship. I love you all!
I hope i can always be the friend to you that you have been to me. God's example of friendship is a perfect model. "A friend loveth at all times"