Its funny how things come to people, things fall into their laps - sometimes good and sometimes not. Today, my family and I are blessed to have company this week. 620 miles have separated our 2 families from each other for 9 or so years - until now. It's awesome knowing that this family is in the huddle of life with us. Doing this life via email and phone calls - praying and encouraging each other no matter what is going on and what we are facing. Last night as I hugged my dear friend Lynn and her daughter - I couldn't help but to tear up - a good hug and handshake from Dennis - have stay manly somehow as I wiped my eyes right? Anyways, this family means the world to me and even after all these years, we all have remained faithful and steadfast to continue this awesome friendship - It's such a blessing to share this time with them. We are all very excited with what this week will bring.
The one thing that sticks out in my mind today more so than anything else is the friendships and the family members who have chosen to walk away from this blessing - friendship. Many people I know right now are shutting down - walking away - hiding in the shadows of life - going through a divorce that is shutting them off from communication due to guilt or shame - people facing a sickness and have nobody they feel able to turn to. I think about my Rock Group and the families that God has blessed me with to share this life with - those friendships - my church family and all that they bring in blessings to me and my family. Friends these are people who I do life with - who have my back - who encourage me and call me out when I mess up and hold me accountable for. They are the ones who pray for me - to motivate me and huddle with me to form a ring of protection around me and my family when things are falling apart. I don't know if I would have come out of things when my mom was sick and died if it was not for my wife, son, my Aunt and Uncle and my cousin - AND my church family and my close friends who know the Lord - all praying for me - praying for each other. Let me be honest here and say that we have confidence when we are surrounded by great loving people who understand and want to be involved in my life.
Those that are pulling away - doing things for themselves - staying only focused on themselves and what they can get out of life - are doomed. You will need friends and people who care for you and love you one day, we live in a dark and sinful world and if you think that you can go about it alone - it will be a sad ending. Jesus can redeem you from all this - forgive you for all you have done and place good people around you in your life to lean on and do this life with. Friends we are not made to be islands - to go about life as we see fit and step on people who don't agree with our political ideas and social outlooks. There is more to this life than where you find yourself right now. Expand your thinking and enlarge what you see and what you are doing. Blessings from God can be yours if you just take the steps to just talk with Him. Work out those problems and things that keep you down and where you are.
Ecclesiastes 4:8
8 There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. "For whom am I toiling," he asked, "and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?" This too is meaningless— a miserable business!
If you find yourself alone - miserable and shut out of things - loneliness -being your own little island and with no hope from your situations..... Go to Jesus and ask for Him to come into your life - He will provide all the answers you need and surround you with people who will love you and care for you.
My dad is included in this since losing my mom - but this I am feeling today is for many others in my life - people I know directly and not - I often wonder why when the chips are down, people pull back and shut off - God wants to pull you closer during these hard times but can't because you wont let Him. Let Him bless you and your situations - your struggles and see what changes....
Ecclesiastes 4:12
A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two men can stand back-to-back and conquer.
Imagine the football huddle - 12 guys standing around each other - encouraging each other and trusting each other fully for the next play to win the game, they are on enemy grounds and 12 other men are waiting for them, the crowd is ruthless in their screams and chants for them to fail. Nothing is as more important than knowing- the 12 men standing with you - have your back. Its time to play ball friends...... we all need a team around us and Jesus wants to be in your huddle. Time to give Him the ball...........
Blessings,
Randy~
1 comment:
Jesus said in the last chapter last verse of Matthew "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world". A Godly true friend that is "Christ like" is like Jesus and they will go with you to the end. Whatever you face in your life that friend will be there also. Jesus is a "friend that will stick closer to you than a brother" Proverbs 18:24.
My sister Lois was not only my sister, she was my best friend. She was always there for me, to share in my happiness and my tears. When she first went to be with the Lord, I didn't know what I would do without her. Some days I still don't know what to do without her, I still want to pick up the phone and call her, share with her, she was always so caring, if all else failed in my family I always knew she would never leave me. When I hurt she hurt, when I was happy she was happy, and you know it went both ways. I felt what she felt and vise versa. That is what true friendship is. When the doctors said she was going to die I begged God to take me instead and let her live, I believe she would have done the same for me. But it was not my time, she had to go before me, I'm not sure why but I know God is in control of that. I felt so "alone" without her even though I always knew God was right there with me. Now as I talk with God I talk to her also, I have no doubt that she is right there with him. That is a comfort to me, it gives me strength to face things that I have to face.
I have grown closer to you Randy, more than I ever thought would happen, we share a bond not only from your momma but there is a "Christlike" bond there. We helped each other through a time that I never dreamed would happen, and it has left us forever changed. It has also brought us closer to God. I know you will always be there for me, I know you won't ever be here one day and gone the next. I thank you and God for that. I told you several days ago in an email that I will always feel the same for you today that I will for the rest of our lives. That will never change, no amount of time will change that. God has not only made us Aunt/Nephew HE has given us a Godly friendship that will last always. I need that. I need love and friendship. I need prayer, I need my church family. I draw strength from others, life can be lonely at times, even with God in our lives, we all need each other. Family won't last forever, it's too late to tell someone after they are gone that you really did love them, I always said one thing I never doubted, and that was that Lois knew I loved her, and I knew she loved me. Love was more important to her than any amount of money. She said that many, many times.
I am thankful today for the prayers of my family, friends, my church family friends, and most of all that Jesus walks with me daily, He is always here for me. And I am thankful that God put the desire in my heart to pray for others and to share Jesus with them, that is important to me and I know others pray for me. I can feel those prayers, I need those prayers.
I've got your back Randy, thanks for keeping mine too.
love
Aunt Sharon
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