I just finished another great book recommended to me by quite a few people - but Ryan was the one who pressed on me to really read it - the book was "Captivating". It really hit in so many places that felt like God speaking. One particular chapter that really got to me was talking about friends & how important friendships are to women & how seriously they take them.
..."Women friends become the face of God to one another - the face of grace, of delight, of mercy"
..."It is here, in the realm of relationship, that women receive the most joy & the profoundest sorrow"
As a woman who has had great friends in my life - those two sentences say so much. Women just have a way of getting together & really feeling each other's problems - not just hearing them, but listening, feeling the hurt with each other, and also feeling the joys with one another. As women, we share in each other's families & truly become concerned about what happens to each others family members. It really is a relationship like no other.
The book even referenced that even though it is quite often used in weddings, Ruth was speaking to a women when she said, "Where you go, I will go, & where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people & your God my God" (Ruth 1:16) Is that the perfect Biblical example of a fierce loyalty between friends?
Friendship is such a great gift - one to be prayed for & definately not to be taken for granted. I think when God gives us a friend, He really is entrusting us with the care of one another's heart. Women are so good at taking care of each other's hearts too - aren't we?
Do you remember your friends as you were growing up? Didn't you have that girlfriend that you swore you'd be "Best Friends Forever" (or in today's lingo - BFF) & you were going to grow up, get married together, have babies at the same time & then THEY too would be best friends. Oh - we love our friends ladies!
Now that I'm older, I find my friendships are such an array of people & I think God designs it like that. I really enjoy my friendships with younger ladies because they remind me where I've been - & I truly appreciate friendships with some of the women who have had more experience than me & can teach me as well. But its neat to see how women of all ages can truly connect with each other - there's our hearts working again - it's just a connection I think God gives us as a gift!
And of course, reading this part of this book, I did feel sad that my dear friend is no longer with me. That part of my heart that she had is now aching as I think it always will. But I'm so grateful for friends that are still with me - those that are tending to my heart now.
I have been so blessed with some wonderful friendships - Thank you Lord!
And make no mistake, I have been greatly blessed to have YOU as a friend! You rock!
ReplyDeleteI am gonna have to ditto you on that one Christy! You are an amazing friend to us as well. I don't think you know how much you mean to so many people!
ReplyDeletelove you
erica
I'm so glad you're my friend. I miss having girlfriends, I really don't have any here :(
ReplyDeleteI agree with all of the above... you are a great friend, and your observances are right.... women do tend to build friendships so much differently than men do. We do hold each other's hurts and sorrows, and we also hold one another's joys. There aren't many gifts greater than that of a good friend! And age.... it doesn't really matter... it is the heart that counts!!!!
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