I spent the day with an old friend. It seemed as though we had never parted. Tears pooled in my eyes and ran down my cheeks at the surprise of seeing her again. Instantly, I was reminded of so many wonderful memories of days gone by. Days filled with being new mama’s when our babies loved to sit on the floor in front of us and play. My first memory? A Bible study group we both attended. She was so strikingly beautiful with flawless skin and a style all her own. To this day, she radiates an air of sophistication.

Her greatest strength is reflected in her ability to risk for the sake of a greater good. She supports others generously both verbally and physically with her ability to serve others thoughtfully. At her core is a sincere attempt to make life better for others. She has the unique ability to be totally present and completely attentive to the people she is with.

When I’m with her, I feel special.

“Friendship is a sacrament; it is the only thing that can save us from our own smallness, for the love of a friend comes always with a lantern in hand.”

God has blessed me with some of the best friends imaginable. Why? Is it just because I'm friendly? It is because He knows I'd be lost without them.

I guess the presence of tears came from the loss my heart had felt and my mind hadn’t perceived of yet. When I saw her I instantly knew what I had journeyed away from. But as I drove home that day, away from my dear friend, I couldn’t help but think of the richness that had come into my life because of my dear sweet friend. I could have walked alone, but oh what I would have missed without her.

My friend has affirmed me and told me I was right in a situation and responded appropriately when I was second guessing myself. She has given me confidence too! She has been my biggest fan so many times! I have helped her with her children, her sister and mother, her children’s education, and life in general. In all that ‘advice’ or ‘help’ I’ve given, she made it seem just what she needed at that precise moment.

We have shared the road of life together and it has been good.

<sup>Proverbs 27:9 (NLT)
The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense.

1 John 3:16-18
This is how we've come to understand and experience love: Christ sacrificed his life for us. This is why we ought to live sacrificially for our fellow believers, and not just be out for ourselves. If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God's love? It disappears. And you made it disappear. My dear children, let's not just talk about love; let's practice real love. This is the only way we'll know we're living truly, living in God's reality. It's also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves. Translation taken from The Message</sup>