What do I look for in my friend?

Someone who can feel what I feel.  or

Someone who doesn’t have as much emotion as I do, and can balance me out and tell me the logical facts, and calm me down. or

Someone who likes the same things I do, whether it be books, nature, fiestaware.  maybe

Someone very similar to me.  what about

Someone who tells me when they are hurting and struggling, so I can help.

Or, someone who is almost my opposite who can teach me things I never thought of before.  perhaps

Someone older, someone younger.

A listener.  A person with heart and soul.  or

Someone who lets me love them.

A person who cares, loves, is kind and patient.

But most of all, the person I want for my dearest friend is a woman who has Jesus in her heart.

Not a pretender, not a “head knowledge” of truth, but the heart that is just like mine, a Jesus-heart.

In other words, I have found in my own experience of friendships, that there is no formula whatsoever but a foundation through Jesus Christ, for the purpose of “whatever reason”–that certain something she can give to me, or I can give to her to help us both be better people and keep pressing on the upward way.  The Holy Spirit draws us together, He writes that woman’s name on my heart, or my name on her heart, and we have a relationship to enjoy for as long as we can.

God has put women in my life that I simply cannot forget and will not forget.  We will be as loyal as the day is long.  I know this because we annoy each other at one point or another – – but we can never do anything to cut the tie of friendship we feel is ours to keep.

I do have my own very priceless circle of friends that is written in stone, but there is room on the stone for more.   I am always open for more kindred spirits.  But I don’t go searching for them, God puts them in my path, whether at church or wherever.

Some of my friends even live “in the computer” and even if it sounds far-fetched, I know it’s true and I love it!  I love that I have friends whom I have never seen face to face, yet can share common interests, encouragement, prayers, and so on.

Social media is the modern age’s pen pal system!

God’s people are everywhere and He can use all kinds of ways to draw us together.  He wants us to have close relationships with others.   It lifts my spirits to hear from my friends, and it’s wonderful to be a blessing to my friend, as well.  I need it in order to live because life gets so heavy at times.  The burdens are great.  Things happen to shake me, and I can reach out to a friend and see how it is….she stops what she is doing and prays for me in love and concern.

It’s such a beautiful thing, I cry.

Anyway, one of these friends is someone I am blogging about today.  Her name is Bridgette and we met years ago at church.   Some of the fun things we have in common are the love we have for our families, pinterest, and fiestaware.  We also have the foundation, which is Christ.   Bridgette’s friendship humbles me because I can’t always see why she cares for me so much.  I feel shy around her at times.  I love that she encourages me by sending me happy emails of chickens wearing sweaters, or by sending a text message of a picture she took of a spider.  She loves keeping up with me by reading my blog and she remembers things I wrote even a long time afterward and that means a lot to me.

We had years of time together as members of the same church, talking and visiting at those functions and also getting together, just the two of us.  I remember one night after church we went to Crackerbarrel together and drank ice tea with our meal…I didn’t sleep a wink that night from the caffeine.  Also, we were pregnant at the same time…several times..which was fun.  And, when she and her family moved away I was heartbroken, as a matter of fact, I’m still sad about it.  But such is life.

Mostly what I sense around this special woman is the quietness of a life lived close to God, and a heart warm and open to love anyone and everyone.  She truly has a grace-filled heart for encouraging other people, and what a gift that is!

When Rich and I took the children to Georgia recently I was able to arrange a long-overdue visit with her.  She was a lot more excited about it than I could have imagined.  Thank you, B, for your faithful friendship to me.  I love you and care about you and yours.  I’m here for you anytime you need a friend, day or night.

We met at a pizza place.  She has five children, one of the girls is hidden next to Sarah.

She talked about Sarah to her daughter so much that it was love at first sight.

We only had the time it took to eat the pizza, because we had such a long drive ahead of us.  Bridgette and I would have liked to have a longer visit of course, but were thankful for what we managed to squeeze in.  She sent me on my way with snacks, a journal, coffee, and chocolates, which I am still enjoying.

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”  Hebrews 10:24-25

“Dear Jesus, please bless any woman reading this today with friendships that will lift her spirits, make her laugh, and help her along in whatever plan you have for her life.  Help her to be a good friend to others, too.   Give her someone she can trust, in Your timing and in Your way.  Help us to obey your prompting when you place someone on our heart.  Thank you for supplying our every need.  If we need a friend, you will give us one.”