Catching Up

Romans 1:11-12 "For I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord. When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours."  NIV
If you are a working woman with a family, you know how hard it is to find time to spend with women who believe the things that you do.  It just seems like you get on a treadmill and the days and weeks go by without even a moment for a phone call or a letter to a friend.  It has become acceptable to communicate with texts and facebook.  While this is a blessing for many to have this invaluable tool to stay close to those far away, it has also caused us to be lazy in our calling from God to watch after each other.  Someones needs can not be understood in 140 characters or less.

Last week, before youngest daughter's wedding, I was able to fly to NC to middle daughter's baby shower.  It was a wonderful day of smiles and laughter.  I met the women who surround my daughter with their love and caring while her husband is fighting far from home.  I now feel better about her being so far from home.  My Abba has covered her with grace and protection, filling her life with Godly women.  She is strong and brave, taking on tasks that would bring most women to the brink of a breakdown.  Yet I see Christ's love in her as she raises a son and carries my granddaughter in her womb.

While in NC, I was able to spend time with a dear friend.  We spent many hours in years past sitting on bleachers watching our daughters cheerleading squad.  We became fast friends when I was an outcast because of my previous religion.  It was her Christian heart and her steadfast desire to show me the true side of Christ that has kept us just a heartbeat apart for many years.  When other women wanted to judge, she just loved.  When other women turned away from my obvious need for Godly direction, she gently guided me.  When I moved away, it was so hard to not have her smile in my life every day.  Periodically through the years we have been able to meet up for a day here and a day there.  Letters and emails go back and forth as we pray for each other. 

I attended her church while I was there.  www.mannachurch.com  It was similar to the church I attend, just on a smaller scale.  Standing beside her as we raised our hands in adoration to our God brought tears to my eyes.  It was a place I had longed to be and now I was finally there.   For it was her gift of faith that had encouraged me along the rocky road I traveled.  We pray together often while we are apart and now I could finally pray with her while we were together.  My heart swelled with joy as our voices joined together praising God.

We spent a few hours catching up.  Our lives are forever entwined.  We are lucky that we get to see each other periodically.  Some people never get to see each other again when they move apart.  It made me realize as these years have gone by, just what value there was in her gift to me of acceptance and love.  She was the Bible I was reading and the Christ that I was learning about.  She is not perfect.  Nor am I.  We have seen each other at our worst and our best. But she never stopped being a disciple of Christ and sharing her gifts.  She has taught me that no matter what someone else believes or does or what paths they walk, I might be the only Christ they will ever see and the only Bible they will ever read.  I can't say that enough times.  Don't worry if you fall short of your goal of being a Godly woman.  Just keep walking the walk and talking the talk.  It might take a week or a month or a year to touch some one's life.  You may never see the lives you touch.  But somewhere along the way, someone is grateful for your gift of acceptance.  Thank you dear friend.