Treasured Friendships from God: Celebrating Special Ladies in Our Lives
Welcome in the month of May! The gardens are in full bloom with vibrant spring colors. May brings Mother’s Day and my thoughts are filled with the many ladies who have touched my life and continue to guide me on my journey.
For many of us, we can think of the special women who have impacted our lives and who have helped us discover (and rediscover) our own path and calling whether it may be a mother, family member, friend, or mentor. It may have been someone who you met in passing or on your travels. It may be one of the wonderful women from the Bible. Perhaps it is Deborah in the Book of Judges (Chapters 4-5), who guided a small army to trust in God to carry forth His calling to protect the people. Or, Esther who had the courage to stand up, against all odds, and trust in God to save the people. Or, Ruth who conveys a beautiful love story of faith and redemption and how our God uses ordinary people for extraordinary things. There are, of course, several more beautiful stories of “women heroes” in the New Testament of the Bible whose trust and belief in God inspire them to make courageous journeys in order to share the good news of God’s love and promises. Of course, we can’t forget Mary, the mother of Jesus, or the Samaritan woman in chapter four of the Gospel of John, whose faith led her to be the first recorded New Testament evangelist to win a city for Christ.
While reflecting upon the stories of the women in the Bible, I began to think about the trust they had in Him to guide their paths. I began to think about touch points of sacred moments in my life and how, so very often, God puts a woman in my life to help guide me with His love and reassurance, at just the right time. Early on there was Margaret who taught me about God’s love through gardening. Without a doubt, the garden is my “happy place,” too. Sarah, whose parents were Holocaust survivors, taught me about the depth of faith. Natalie and Xyzandya were life-changing mentors. Natalie, a war-horse of conviction and a woman of color, taught me how to withstand all odds to move forward in God’s path of life while Xyzandra, who faced many trials and losses in life, shared her life’s wisdom that demonstrated to me the profound depth of God’s love and kindness. She taught me that he never stops giving us the courage and strength to walk in faith every day with a joyous heart. She would often say, “If you have faith in God, you can stand tall on a rock on the edge of the ocean. The waves may crash all around you but because you believe in Him, the winds of the world will not cause you to waiver. He will be your strength and your guide to live a life of joy through all things.”
After sketching the stories of some of the incredible women in my life, I sat back for a moment to take a sip of Earl Grey with a small bite of scone. I sat in awe of how our Father God plants beautiful bouquets of people in our lives so that the sweet aromas of their stories brighten our journeys with His love. While sipping my tea, I turned to the next chapter of a book I am reading by Sally Clarkson entitled Teatime Discipleship. Perhaps it was a little nudge from God, but the book is filled with messages about the gift of kindred friendships in one’s life journey.
The chapter opens with a quote by Dinah Craik from A Life for a Life, Vol. II, “Oh the comfort-the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person-having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all right out, just as they are, chaff and grain together; certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth, and keeping them with the breath of kindness blow the rest away.”
As I read these words, I began to thank God for His everlasting love and his ability to continually put people on our paths of life to encourage us on our journeys. I found myself reliving memories and conversations with so many kindred friends. I looked up at a painting I did of the mighty Kilimanjaro and I immediately recalled sweet Esther dancing around the lodge, taking care of guests, then tip-toeing over to me, tucked away in an oversized couch by the fire, in the midst of an afternoon bible study. Upon our return from an early morning safari, she shared a beautiful smile (as though God was smiling at me), and asked if my husband and I would like to join her and the staff after dinner for a bible teaching and prayer. Esther, with her courage and kindness, made a great impact on our lives, and, for the next three nights during our stay, we would quietly wait for the other guests to retire for the evening and then meet in the corner of the room by the big fireplace. All of her colleagues from the lodge would join together hand-in-hand and heart-to-heart in prayer, to read the word of God. On our last night together, we shared in prayer with sweet voices of praise quietly singing in a cappella. To this day, I find myself quietly singing with Esther and her colleagues (who all became treasured friends and family of God), keeping them close to my heart and in my prayers in the hopes that I will see them again one day.
I found myself walking through sweet memories of treasured interludes where God has placed people in my life, and whether near or far, I have been so blessed throughout my life to have kindred friendships with treasured ladies. Sue and I met at a restaurant where we worked during our college years and we have been life-long friends, offering each other encouragement and loving support. I met Liz on our local beach with her two young boys (who are now in high school and college). We have fostered a friendship full of writing collaborations that has continued for years! I never would have thought that a brief meeting with Bev and her husband at an evening food tasting would lead to a years-long pen pal friendship. And then there’s Maria, whom I met at a fashion gathering just weeks upon moving to Los Angeles, who became a kindred friend and encourager. And, of course, Heather, whom I met through a work project, is one of a group of my special “sisters” who call in from all over the state twice a month to pray and share our life journeys.
I finished sipping my tea. As I opened my journal to pen more thoughts, I had a list of names and stories of the many women who have touched my life. I began to see a common thread of their Godly characteristics that they shared with me and those around them: love, kindness, hospitality, trust, faith, courage, hope and joy. All of these traits create a beautiful, bright bouquet of lifetime friendships that reflect God’s love. Later in the week, the beautiful bouquet of friendships became a painting from my heart in memory and admiration of all the special ladies who have been “given to me” as a gift from God to walk with me on my path of life.
Thank you to all the special ladies who have touched my heart with their beautiful hearts. These friendships are truly a gift from God. I believe God wants us to experience the beauty of treasured friendships as another way of expressing His love for us as our greatest friend and comforter.
Take time this month to celebrate the gifted women in your life. Thank them for walking with you through on this journey.
Directives:
Who are the special ladies who inspire in your life?
How have they inspired you?
What grace-gift characteristic of their lives has touched your heart and allowed you to grow your faith in God?
How does their inspiration lead you to inspire others?