Friendship

My best friend in the world, is obviously, my husband. People who know us, know that fact. We are goofy, we love each other more than anyone in the world and we are the only ones who get each other. :) It is such a blessing to be married to my best friend.
Like any relationship, obviously, marriage takes work and more than anything, God's grace. :)

I think that in my life there has only been one other person, other than Nick, that comes close to knowing my heart, my weaknesses, my strengths, my heart's desires, and my fears. She doesn't judge me, nor does she expect things of me that are not expectations God has for me. She lets me be me. Always. It is funny that we are closer now than when she lived in the states. :) There will be a month or so pass and we won't communicate, but the second one of us emails, it is at the right time we need it, the right words, or whatever, from the Lord. When she lived here, where her cell phone worked, we could text at any time of day or night for prayer or support. I miss that, now that she is in a country where her service is not reliable, I don't have that privilege to bother her at 2 am nor does she have that convenience to call for help at any time of day or night. It is something I took for granted. I took for granted the fact that the closest friend besides my husband, was at my fingertips for years, and in the last 10 months I have wanted her close.

The point I want to get across is that, there were times in my life that I would run to her before I would run to Jesus. There are times today, that I run to my husband and best friend, Nick, before I run to Jesus, my ultimate best friend. I wonder, a lot, if Jesus sits and just waits for me to choose him first. He has the answer, the time, the wisdom, the knowledge, the peace, the comfort, the closeness, the shoulder, the everything I need. I don't run to him. I run to Nick, I run to Gina, I run to other friends, to my mom or dad, or to myself.

I have noticed in the last 10 months I have had some amazing friends come and go in and out of my life. There were friends that I held too close, and did not cling to Jesus instead. God awoke me to that and I am now aware of the pure and desperate need I have for my Jesus. (key word: my)
We talk about Jesus, like he is a stranger or someone we can't reach. He is mine. He is yours. Not in a selfish sense, but in a desperate sense. Without our Jesus, we are nothing. Does that pierce you at all? Does it awaken your soul and mind to a realization? To admit, realize, and then relish in the fact that we are desperate for Jesus, is truly life changing.

Gina's pastor spoke of passion last night at college group. He defines the word, passion, I believe. The Spirit follows that man wherever he goes. No, he is not a perfect man, but he is desperately relying and loving Jesus. With all he is, he is following his Master. His desire is to see his friends, his family, his small poverish community in southern Costa Rica, and the world, even Amarillo, a city he has just met, to meet His Jesus. What a beautiful person.


I suppose this has gone on longer than I had planned, but I will wrap it up in this:
keep your best friends close, but not above your Jesus.
have passion for your Jesus.

i'm overflowing...

shaina

Blessed

I get frustrated, like in the post below, about bills, working hard and barely getting anything out of it, student loans, medical bills, rent, etc etc. God tenderly and sometimes forcefully reminds me that I am blessed beyond any part of my imagination. We have more than enough and we are blessed to not have everything handed to us. We are having to work hard and work our way up from the bottom. It is good and it makes you appreciate what you have, because it is your own.

BUT, that brings me to a point that we push aside and forget too often. NOTHING is our own. It has all been given to us by God. Stewardship is no longer a word in many people's vocabulary. People toss their money, their belongings, their own friends and family around like its nothing. The things we have been given are to be cherished and taken care of.
I remember as a kid, my parents would tell us to take care of our things, especially our home and the things that they had worked so hard for, but to take care of each other and ourselves, spiritually first and then in the other ways.

We are not our own. The main point I have is that we don't have anything unless given by God. He has given us the strength, the mind, the power, abilities, desire, etc to have the things we have and do the things we do. We are to be stewards of those things, especially the people in our lives. I have been bad at that. I have been forgetful, rude, negative and careless with people in my life. I'm sure that is part of the reason that I have very few true friends. BUT, I know that I have been on the opposite end of that. People have flung me around, forgotten about me, left me and so I know both sides of the fence.

I feel as though we are careless with not only our things in our lives, but the people. We need to remember we are GIVEN our children, our families, our friends and the people in our lives. We must take care of those relationships, learn from them and THANK GOD FOR THEM. Thank God for our spouses, our families, our siblings, our friends, teachers, co-workers, mentors, relatives, even our enemies. For without all those people, we would not be the same. Thank God for the people in your life and act like you are thankful for them. It will make a difference in your life. and theirs.

blessings.