Search: Title Author/Artist ISBN CBD Stock # Keywords Publisher

Pages Updated On:
11-Jun-2013 - 15:58:37
Links Engine 2.0 By: Gossamer Threads Inc.

Vol. 2007 Issue 07 ~ July

Every once in awhile, I remind myself and you, my readers, of the importance of good friends.  This is going to be one of those times.  I just got back from a long weekend with three girlfriends out of town (thanks to my Dad’s outrageous generosity).  We had an absolute blast --- great food, spa treatments, poolside cabana fruity drinks, fantastic shows…it was a terrific time.  But add to that, leisurely conversations that could be as silly or as deep as we wanted because we had all the time in the world, and you get a combination of hysterical laughter and many tear-jerking moments.  It was beautiful.  Those four days are etched in my memory way more than because of the limo rides and mani/pedis (though that was all unbelievable!) but even more so because it was four days of sweet memory building with three women who mean the world to me.

And it leaves me wondering if I’m in the minority.  As a little girl, I struggled for years and years to find even one trustworthy friend.  Then my twenties found me with an abundance of female relationships but most of them were not the depth my heart was searching for.  And now I find myself in my thirties with several years of five close girlfriends that I can trust my heart and life with.  And I do everything I can to not take them for granted, or even the fact that I have them, let alone five of them.  I have been so blessed in this area.  But I wonder if having my girls is unusual.  If most women my age might not.  I hope that’s not the case.  I hope my experience with my girls is what most women who love God have in their lives, because they are expressions of Christ to me, and I hope I am to them.

I couldn’t have gotten through our crisis last year without them and I wouldn’t want to celebrate life’s highpoints without them either.  They hold my hand, cry with me, laugh with me, pray for me, write me notes, make me meals, leave me great voicemails, send me encouraging emails, talk kindly to me and about me, will be taking my secrets to their graves, know me pretty darn well and still, somehow, think I’m pretty great.  As I do with each of them. 

Do you have this in your life?  If you don’t, you should.  Every woman needs and, I believe, deserves this kind of support.  I believe God designed us to be in relationship – with our husbands if we’re married, yes; but also with other women who understand us in a way men just can’t (at no fault of their own).  If our husbands would have seen how often we teared up this weekend, they would have thought we were insane…but we knew better, and just passed around the Kleenex knowingly. 

If you’re looking for a good friend, a couple ideas for you…  Ask God for one…he already knows what and who you need.  Begin to be the kind of friend you want (go the extra mile, be trustworthy to a fault) to someone already in your life.  Initiate a conversation or a date for coffee…someone has to go first, might as well be you.  Choose well and wisely – not everyone needs to know every single thing about your life and heart.  But do risk, do let someone in, do let someone take care of you every once in awhile.  And once you’ve got her, thank God for her and pour out your life into her.  You’ll be so glad you did. 

(Love you, girls!)

Ó Elisabeth K. Corcoran, 2007
Elisabeth Corcoran is the author of In Search of Calm: Renewal for a Mother’s Heart (2005) and Calm in My Chaos: Encouragement for a Mom’s Weary Soul (2001).  She is wife to Kevin, and mom to Sara, 10-&-1/2, and Jack, 9.  Her passion is encouraging women and the Church, which she fulfills through serving in leadership on staff part-time at Christ Community Church – Blackberry Creek Campus in Aurora, Illinois, and writing and speaking as much as she can.  You can learn more about Elisabeth and her ministry at www.elisabethcorcoran.com. 

Submitted on : 19-Nov-2007