Thanksgiving on Thursday...

The woman who had sat across from me, tears dripping from her eyes as she told me of childhood experiences that had left her reeling for years, smiled through those tears, joy spreading across her face as she recounted how she had learned to know Jesus and how to forgive and move on in His life. My heart beat with praise to the Father that yet another of my friends was choosing Him in spite of horrible experiences that never should have been named among men in the first place, but because of the evil that is in this world, is a common occurrence.

And in the days that have followed, she and I continue to enjoy each other's company, catching up from almost a score of years that separated our childhood school days from the present day, our ways having been diverged from each other most of those years, save for a few brief encounters here and there.

The Blessing Basket...

 



One day, I brought her some apples in a basket, knowing her family enjoys food from the Garden. The next time she met up with me, the basket was filled with a mum for me, with the suggestion that we start the tradition of passing that basket between us with wholesome blessings in it, either in grow foods, or beautiful gifts that bless the heart.

I am wowed that God, who walked with me through years of loneliness and struggle, has blessed me with such a friend (and more like her, too!). Just because. Because He sure is enough for me and He doesn't have to give me anything in this world!

Sometimes friends just are the ones He uses to be hands and feet for Jesus, encouraging us on our weary way. Friendship is a blessing. True fellowship in Christ is a blessing we cannot take for granted. I am so blessed by friends He has sent me through the years. They have ministered to me in ways so completely of God that even now, it takes my breath away to remember.

Thanking God for friends today.

 

(what Paul said of the Macedonian believers):

 

"Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift,

and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints."



Be a friend today.