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Vol. 2004 Issue 11 ~ November

I have had some amazing friendship moments recently. One of my closest friends just had a baby and I was so excited to see her and her third daughter for the first time that I left in the middle of my solitude retreat to go visit her at the hospital.

Another friend helped me navigate a sticky situation where I was on the verge of choosing the sinful low road — she gave me some great advice, challenged me and prayed for me — she was Christ to me and that helped me to be a bit more like Him myself in that moment.

Another friend and I got away overnight…I’ve known her the longest…just about 18 years. So we have a handful of memories from when we were teenagers that send us into hysterics…the kind of laughter where tears start flowing. One story that I’ll share…actually, you would have had to be there…I can tell because when we’ve recounted some of these to others, they usually give us a blank stare. Bummer…because there were some good ones.

And there’s another friend with whom I have a long-distance relationship - well, we have been missing each other. Yes, in the traditional sense of the word, but also simply missing each other…passing each other by. We keep trying to schedule a weekend together and it keeps getting bumped. But it’s okay…because she and I have been friends since college and somehow we have kept it going all these years…so I’m not worried.

And yet another friend and I have decided to start praying for our church once a month…the first time we did it, we invited anyone who wanted to join us and it ended up just being us…but we didn’t care…we just encouraged each other and prayed our hearts out together.

That same friend also just gave birth and she asked me to come be a part of her labor. It ended up being a very difficult delivery for her, and pretty scary too — the doctor later said he wasn’t sure at the time if she were going to make it. Talk about an eye-opener.

Talk about shaking up my sometimes laissez faire attitude towards my friends, as if they’ll just always be there if and when I need them. Wow…I never want them to feel unappreciated or taken for granted. I want them each to know how much I love them. I have amazing friends. Simply amazing women that God has placed in my life and I am so much better off for knowing each one of them.

Moms, you need to carve out time for your girlfriends…these women will be your lifelines, your support, your challenge, your listening ear, your shoulder to cry on, your chance to help and serve someone else. It will take time, energy, creativity and sacrifice to keep your friendships a priority…but the investment will come back to you ten-fold. I guarantee it.

© Elisabeth K. Corcoran, 2004

Submitted on : 1-Nov-2004