What Rounds Out Life: Friendship

Meet Lauren. She has quickly become a close, true, and favorite friend of mine. We go to the same university, we work at the same church, and we are studying the book of Esther together.... at 7am one day a week. Safe to say we are around each other a good bit. I would like to say this is the reason we have sparked such a relationship (although I'm sure that doesn't hurt), but I think it's because we both love Jesus and we have come to both love each other. These two things are a concrete foundation for a friendship. I can honestly say that there are a couple others like her, a handful with the same mixture of circumstantial placement -- school, church, studying God's word together -- who I have come to treasure.

I had great friends in high school, and I would still consider a handful of them to be good friends today... but having those true friends in your day-to-day life? Makes a world of difference. 

These are the women who sit Indian-style next to you while you lay on the floor in the office. These are the women who drop by your apartment because they need to get out, and because they will find a loving, listening ear. These are the women who drop by your office at least once during the day when they know you are there. These are the women who pull you from the ears of others to sit in your parked car while you cry and share your heart. These are the women who care enough to pay attention, resulting in guarding doors to restrooms when you need a moment alone, and treating you to the occasional treat. These are the women who make sure you know you are always welcome in their home. These are the women you pray for, the ones you pray with -- the women who pray for you. 

These are the kinds of women that currently exist in my life, and I cannot help but praise God. These kinds of friendships are a gift from the Lord, one I am continually humbled by. In my personal experience, they really do make life 10x richer and more fun.

Busyness, distractions of life, conflicts, tests and trials of faith, etc. They happen. That is reality. What has the potential to withstand all that? A true love for Jesus, and a genuine love for another person. 

Love is so deep, so wide. There is so many kinds, and it looks different in a variety of interactions. But the facet of love I'm currently learning?

Love listens. Love relates.

Love desires to know what's really inside.

 Love is present. 

Words of Life

Time spent in the Bible looks different for everyone. Mine, not surprisingly, involves crayons. Last night when I was reading I found myself thankful for the gift of the written Word. A steadfast, never-changing, challenging, always true presence. It is there I find rest, and glimpses into my Heavenly Father's heart.

The concept of God’s word. God speaking. He reveals himself to us. He communicates himself for us. His word, as John Frame says, is “his powerful, authoritative self-expression.”

This is the word of life.

John Piper writes,

The central strategy is to preach the gospel to yourself. . . . Hearing the word of the cross, and preaching it to ourselves, is the central strategy for sinners in the fight for joy.

David Mathis, an author for Desiring God, wrote an article about shaping your life with the words of life, and in it he described the written word as this:

As crucial as it is for spiritual life that we have God in his Word Jesus, and that we have Jesus in his word the gospel, so we need the Scriptures as God’s inspired, inerrant, and infallible revelation of himself.

Without the Bible, we will soon lose the genuine gospel and the real Jesus and the true God. For now, if we are to saturate our lives with the words of life, we must be people of the Book. Which is no necessary prescription for certain practices. But it is a summons to the principle of soaking our lives in the voice of God, and diversifying the portfolio of media. Before pondering the many and wonderful practices that are best for you, in your context and season of life, put this rock in place: Fashion rhythms of life that help you revolve around having God’s incarnate Word, by God’s gospel word, through God’s written word.

Fashion rhythms of life that help you revolve around having Jesus, by the reality of the Gospel, through Scripture. I find myself missing God. Sound a little weird? I know it does, because God is always with me. But I just miss God. Like I would miss a loved one I haven't spent time with or genuinely talked to in awhile.

I am challenged to carve out more time to be still with His Word. 

Thank you, God, for the gift of your words penned. 

Endurance

Uprooting a piece of your identity is not a natural thing to do. And it's extra hard, and virtually impossible, to do on your own... in your own strength.

Hallelujah for Philippians 4:13. Through Christ.

I get so frustrated with myself sometimes. Pretty sure the act is a little common when there is this seemingly constant conflict between flesh and spirit in the life of a Christian.

I am an expressive individual. I am quite the communicator, and being such a passionate person the things inside me tend to flow out of my mouth like waves. I also have this insane need for things to be resolved -- for the thoughts I express to be understood, and for understanding of what another person may be trying to express to me.

This then sometimes leaves me feeling like I'm overtalking, impulsive, like I haven't listened, and that I lack self-control. Not a fabulous feeling.

These things the Lord began revealing to me at the beginning of this school year, and it has been an underlying nudging ever since.

I want to be a woman who doesn't waste a word. I want to be intentional with my words. 

"Quick the listen, slow to speak" the Bible says.

Waiting. Being patient in conversations, in interactions. Giving the Holy Spirit space and time to guide, direct and prompt me. This space also gives me to opportunity to ask for wisdom from the Lord, insight and understanding into the heart of the person I'm talking with.

It dawned on me recently that maybe it can also be a lesson about endurance. My life tends to be characteristic of bursts. Bursts of emotion, joy, passion, growth, stress, change, understanding, knowledge, work, etc. And that's not to say that kind of life is wrong... but maybe it's more about having a life characterized by endurance. Grand leaps are tiring. Small steps are consistent.

Endurance. Steadiness. Perseverance. Strength. Courage. Tenacity.

“I would like to be known as an intelligent woman, a courageous woman, a loving woman, a woman who teaches by being.”
— Maya Angelou

Photo

Icecalypse 2.0

Two days of classes canceled. Racing the dark to spend the weekend at home. No power for two days. Valentine's Day at home.



Valentine's Day 2014 was one of for the record books. J and I spent it with my family, preparing dinner with no power, to have the power come on just before we decided to get ready to eat. This is how we were preparing to make sweet tea. Southern folks,  they always figure out a way to get some good sweet tea.  I have to say I am thankful to have the dad that I have, and the boyfriend that I do -- both are wonderful survivor-men.



It was a great weekend spent with good people, wonderful conversation, and more sweet memories made with J.

Thankful for weekends like this past one. Full. Good.

Grace.

Lately...

... I've been a bit jumbled over a friendship that is close to me.

... I've acknowledged the value and wonder of having true friends.

... I am full of gratitude to be dating a wise man.

... I've made productive choices. Stayed up all night to work on my portfolio. Slept for 10 hours the next night to make up for it.

... I find myself wanting to write, to fill the pages of my journal with all the prayers, wonderings, and happenings that fill my soul.

... I've found some major creative sparks.

... I've discovered that donut holes are the best indulgences for satisfying a sweet tooth. $1.28 for any four kinds you want? Marvelous.

... I've made peace with not running (for now -- I hope it isn't forever).

... I find my soul wanting to sit with God.

... I find peace in this: "Think about how much you owe His forgiving grace. After ten thousand failures, He loves you as infinitely as ever." Charles Spurgeon

... I have meditated on this:

How can a young man keep his way pure?
By keeping it according to Your word. With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments. Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You. Psalm 119:9-11

Photo