We all need other people, especially friends - God wired us that way! True friends however, are hard to come by, but when they come along you do whatever it takes to maintain that friendship. Amongst many friends over the years there are 3 that have truly blessed my life.
Connie:
I had just moved across town and was the new girl at school in 4th grade. Connie befriended me right away and we were inseparable for the next two years. We took advantage of any opportunity for sleep overs, talking on the phone, sharing secrets... We were sisters at heart, in fact on one occasion we even conspired to fix my mom and her dad up in hopes we may become real sisters (although that didn't quite work out). In 6th grade however, we had to move again! Although sleepovers were less often that didn't change my friendship with Connie, it only made us stronger as we were able to share life experiences with someone whose roots grew deep. After high school, we did get disconnected as we went our separate ways but were able to reconnect 2 years ago via facebook and picked up right where we left off. Connie has been my friend of longevity, no matter how many years or miles separate us we will always be there for each other. I truly love her like a sister!
Cassie:
Cassie came into my life at a crossroad. I had just recently become a Christ-follower and was a work in progress. My first memory of her was at youth group on a Wednesday evening, she leaned over and politely asked if I'd like a piece of gum. I said "no thanks," to which she replied, "you smell like smoke." Embarrassed I tried to brush the blame on my parents for being smokers. She very courteously offered again and said, "it's on your breadth." And that was the beginning of our friendship - she told it how it was. Cassie and I couldn't have been more opposite, she grew up in church all her life and enjoyed reading the encyclopedia for fun and me, well I was not like that at all. As a new believer I experienced a lot of things for the first time and Cassie was with me every step of the way. She was there on my first missions trip to Mexico, my first youth camp, getting filled with the spirit, my first road trip, moving away from home for the first time to Master's Commission, seeing the ocean for the first time... Amongst our differences Cassie and I had a very genuine friendship that brought out the best in both of us.
Claudia:
We roomed together my first year of Master's Commission and though we got along well it wasn't until my 2nd year when she stepped out of Master's that our friendship grew deep. Claudia was the friend who was a true kindred spirit, we had our differences yet were similarly passionate in so many ways. Claudia and I have gone through many seasons together. We were silly, giddy girls in our early 20's as single friends, she was my maid of honor in my wedding, distant friends (when she lived California for several years), she's like an aunt to my boys.... She knows my weaknesses and my strengths. We can laugh together and cry together, sing together and pray together and even be silent in one another's presence without feeling awkward. We speak the truth in love without getting offended and encourage one another frequently. Our love for the Lord bonded us together like no other. Like Proverbs 18:24 says, "Friends come and friends go,but a true friend sticks by you like family." Claudia is like family to me and I am so blessed by her friendship. (Oh by the Way - Happy Birthday Claudia - this is the day the Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it!)
Friends come and go, some are for a brief season while others see you through many seasons. It takes discipline though to stand the test of longevity, bring out the best in someone and be considered like family.
According to George Elliot "Friendship is the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words."
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