not "goodbye"... but "until we meet again" {day 28}

This moment of being still... comes from a quiet heart, a heart of remembering... and pondering what God has for the future.

Life is full of goodbyes... and hellos... and more goodbyes.

“The only comfort in saying goodbye is knowing we are in God’s will.”

~wise words!

~~~
Sometimes there are people who are simply a part of the new life in which you find yourself.... and you have no idea the impact they will have.

You do not meet them and think: “here are the parents of my daughter's best friend {the daughters neither one of you even have yet!}”... 

or “here is a lady who will have some understanding of being a {staff wife} and what that means, inside you”... 

or “here is a family who will grow with ours, to the point our stair-step girls are all good friends.”
 
<<<< our children

<<<< their children

But such was a family we had an official farewell for last evening during and after our church service. He and his wife sang with the choir instead of his leading it, he preached the sermon, and there were many tears all-around.

But with the sadness of goodbye comes the excitement of their following God's leading to a new chapter. It also reinforces the truth of "until we meet again" being a more apt way to say "goodbye" to a friend in the Lord.

These are a few thoughts from the service last evening:   “The only comfort in saying goodbye is knowing we are in God’s will.”

The Lord gives us various avenues to know His will in our lives. He has given us His Word, Godly counsel, and the Holy Spirit.

While we may fear the unknown of what is ahead, “Fear is only unhealthy if it paralyzes you... Fear should throw us back on God.” [a quote from Jeff Amsbaugh--not exact, as I cannot always write that fast!]

And knowing, finding, searching out the next step... that is personal. No one can do it for you. It is a burden we each must carry individually.
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do his good pleasure. Philippians 2:13

Life is about Jesus... following Him to finish with joy is what our focus of each day should be.
And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem [another city] , not knowing the things that shall befall me there... But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. Acts 20:22-24

And the fruit of a life spent... spent all for Him... is a life of fruit that follows us to glory!
And the world passeth away... but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. I John 2:17

“Anything God has done through us He has done in spite of us.”

~Thad Endicott

Words that are true of ALL of us! 

Thank you, Endicott family, for your friendship, encouragement, and faithfulness during the years my family has been here. We are praying for you!

on being a friend {day 18}

At the end of today's Proverb is the verse [24]: A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

 

One part of what this blog is about my learning to be the right kind of friend - even to YOU, whom I may never know on this earth.

I strive to show myself friendly. I do not come by this naturally. I am not a "people-person." I do not enjoy crowds. But I do try to be pleasant when spoken to and not completely ignore the people around me. This takes a conscious effort.

I also make an effort to show how Jesus is the friend that sticketh closer than a brother in my own life.  

And because He loves me unconditionally, I can love others - even those I have never met.

But what happens if I utterly ignore the fact that not every person I speak to {even through this blog} is a Christian or is possibly only a babe in Christ? 

And what if I disregard the possibility not everyone who attends my church regularly is a born-again believer and that not everyone grows the same. Even some people in full-time ministry positions come out as older adults and admit to not really knowing they are saved.

Earlier in the chapter is a verse that often saddens me [19]: A brother [friend or relation] offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.

Well, a brother [friend] can be offended... by what I've said, implied, worn, done, etc. 
 
And the fact that he is harder to be won than a strong city seems to imply that I should try to win a friend back. If the friendship was broken over something offensive I did or said, etc., I should care when a friendship is broken or hindered.

Which leads me to also think that possibly, I should at least strive to not be offensive in the first place. Of course, truth divides. There is no denying that. 

But it should be the TRUTH that is dividing. Because getting a friend back is harder than storming a castle!

I often ask God to put a filter on my words so that I may not come across as offensive to those who may be weaker than I am.

I also ask for Him to help my heart accept rebuke when it is shown to me that I may have been offensive--to whomever. 

And while I do not wish to ostracize the world from hearing what I have to say, I realize that some will not appreciate the words I speak or type. 

But my prayer is that the truth pushes them away, not the manner in which I speak it.

So, today, I pray that you find a friend when you come here. 

I pray that none of what I speak is offensive to those looking for encouragement in living Godly lives. 

And I pray that those who know me, you know-in real life, could say that my life’s attitude matched the kindness I strive to show forth here.