living and loving and everything in between
So, the other day I was hurt by a friend and it really sparked an evaluation on myself. My first reaction was to just withdraw from all mankind believing all the lies that satan was telling me that day. Well, I prayed firmly that the Lord would restore me and my relationships. Today, I was reading in captivating .. And this is what Staci Eldridge had to say…
“The gift of friendship among women is a treasure not to be taken lightly. Women friends become the face of God to one another--the face of grace, of delight, of mercy.
Our friendships flow in the deep waters of the heart where God dwells and transformation takes place. It is here, in this holy place, that a woman can partner with God in impacting another and be impacted by another for lasting good. It is here that she can mother, nurture, encourage, and call forth life.
When God gives a friend, he is entrusting us with the care of another’s heart. It is a chance to mother and to sister, to be a Life giver, to help someone else become the woman she was created to be, to walk alongside her and call her deep heart forth."
C.S. Lewis writes: To love at all Is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure to keep it intact…you must give it to no one…The only place outside of Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers of love…is Hell.
HOW TRUE. We so often get so hurt when we love. It is complete vulnerability. But there is no other way to live. To live is to love and there is no way of avoiding it or the things that come with it, such as pain. People will let you down --even the people you love and trust most. And that is almost a blessing--becasue when everyone else lets you down, you finally realize that Christ is the only one left, but truly, the only one you needed all along.
1 Peter 3:6 states: Do Not give way to Fear...
Most people fear living and loving.. I have to admit to this-- I truly feared loving. But, we must not give way to fear. Dont let the enemy have this one..
I guess I am learning to forgive this friend of mine and slowly learning to not put so much trust in people, but just soley on Christ. I will continue to live and love, to hurt and cry.. But in both I will be living.. And I will be ultimately hoping in Christ--and that is all I need.
I have also learned that what I need most is time. I don’t need presents, I don’t necessarily need words or advice or answers. If you love me.. Give me time. That is most important to me. I feel like the best and most beautiful times are spent with one another.. Even if we arent doing something extraordinary. Just spending time is enough and all I need.