You've Got a Friend in Me

With six grandchildren, I've watch many animated movies and among my favorites was Toy Story. "You've Got a Friend in Me" is the theme song. Maybe we should use it as our own theme song:
You've got a friend in me. You've got a friend in me.
You've got troubles, and I've got 'em too
There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you
We stick together and can see it through
'Cause you've got a friend in me. You've got a friend in me

Yesterday, I heard a speaker say, “Often we look and act like we have it all together, but in reality, we are struggling and hurting and we could sure use a friend that we could like, love, and TRUST." That resonated with me. And, that friend is one we trust so much that we can bear our aching heart to as we cry bucket loads of tears. That friend is so trustworthy that they will cry and laugh with us, and best of all, our friend provides a “safe” place for us, because what is said in our time together, stays there. The speaker went on to say “Look at how Christ modeled His life. In the garden, as the Son of God, He chose to reveal to his three closest friends the anguish that He was in. He didn’t put a brave face on for the disciples. He shared the anguish of His soul as He cried, ‘Let this cup pass from me. ” If Christ could bear His soul – we need that, too.

We do have a trustworthy friend in Jesus. He is always there for us. He truly understands everything about us because He felt the same pains that we do. But, we also need a friend or friends that we love and trust and are able to reach out to them for encouragement. When I lived in Tulsa, I had a precious group of loving and caring women that were in my weekly Life Group. My home was our "safe space”, because we liked, loved and trusted each other. We shared our hearts openly because we knew what we shared was held as sacred. Galatians 6:2 says “Help carry one another's burdens, and in this way you will obey the law of Christ.”

Monday night was the first team meeting for a beautiful spiritual retreat that will take place in March. This team is a group of 40 women who will grow together throughout the next 16 weeks as we pray and prepare together for the retreat, but the most important facet of our coming together is that we are sisters in Christ and we will feel safe in that place. We covenant together to encourage and support each other. WOW! Forty friends to “safely” share each others joys and sorrows with.

The Christmas season is here and no doubt there will be added stress and pressure because of all the many activities that come along with it for many, and for others who are alone and lonely and long for this season to be over for another year. We need to find a “safe place” and a trustworthy friend, one of God’s kids, who will encourage us and lift us up. They are out there. To find that friend, it's up to us to show ourselves friendly. Maybe YOU and I could be THAT ONE that can offer ourselves as a “safe place” for others to come to for comfort and prayer. Instead of displaying a “Do Not Disturb” sign on our hearts, it’s time to put up an “Open” sign that says “Here’s my shoulder – go ahead and lean on me!” They will know they can come to us for hope, encouragement and support. After all, aren’t we supposed to be the “Good News” carriers? If you haven't heard it from me before, please hear it now "You've got a friend in me, and I love you so much."

1 Thessalonians 5:11 "And so encourage one another and help one another, just as you are now doing."

Indescribable, Uncontainable, Amazing God

Day 259 of Photo Inspirations -- Indescribable, Uncontainable, Amazing God
For the last three months, I've been privileged to be part of a retreat team that is working diligently on an October special women's retreat.  Weekly, we meet for prayer, study of God's Word, and then it's "all hands on deck" -- to diligently work and prepare for the event.  What a joy it is to know that we will be getting to take other women to a place of "green pastures" -- to get away from EVERYTHING -- families, work, electronics, schedules, routines and "to do" lists -- to enter into a new or deeper relationship with Christ..  That happens when we go to that "Secret Place".  Psalms 91:1-2 "The one who lives in the shelter of the Most High, who rests in the shadow of the Almighty, will say to the Lord, “You are my refuge, my fortress, and my God in whom I trust!"

I'm baffled when I think that THE GOD of the universe is my loving Father and He knows me by name.  His arms are outstretched to me/us 24/7.  Shouldn't we be the most excited people on the planet because His arms outstretched means PARTY TIME.  The party begins when He is invited into the innermost recesses of our hearts and lives.  

I want my passion for God getting stronger and stronger, and my light to burn brighter and brighter, and a sweet way of doing that is to REFRESH and RECHARGE at a retreat (a place of refuge and restoration).   Some things with God are so personal, so intimate, that they cannot be described with words -- they can only be felt with the heart. This is how true intimacy with God is; we feel that no one else can really understand the special bond that we share with Him because it's altogether personal.  But I assure you of this -- that intimate place of relationship -- removes doubt, worry, concern, and fear consciousness and replaces it with "Savior" consciousness.

This describes my relationship with Christ. He has comforted me as I have cried.  He has directed me, taught me, reproved me, guided me and loved me.  Only God knows us perfectly and intimately. He understands our desires, motives, and thoughts. Nothing about us escapes His notice. In fact, God knows infinitely more about us than we will ever know about ourselves.  He not only knows all about us, but He will never forget us. He even keeps an account of the number of hairs on our heads.   God promises in Isaiah 49:16 "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands."

Perhaps it's not possible for you to go to a physical retreat location to find Him, but you can find a "hiding place" or a "secret place" where you come to know the indescribable, uncontainable, all powerful, untameable, uncomparable, unchangeable -- AMAZING God...for yourself RIGHT NOW -- wherever you are.  His arms are outstretched to you.....and in case you haven't been told 'you are loved today', through me...He is telling you now.....'YOU ARE LOVED'!

I love this song by Chris Tomlin.  Maybe, right there at your computer or cell phone or iPad, you can find that secret place right now.  Listen and know HE IS AMAZING GOD who loves you so much!           https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpLqAUJcUbo