True Friends Leave Footprints

The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand,
nor the kindly smile nor the joy of companionship;
it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one
when he discovers that someone else believes in him
and is willing to trust him. (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

Isn’t it a blessing that God puts loving and faithful family & friends in our path so that we can hold one another up as we go through misfortune, sickness, or sorrow? I think God has placed some pretty special people in my life who have impacted my life forever, and shown me examples of how to be forgiving, loving, helpful, faithful, and kind. We all have people who have affected our lives, whether from a distance, a kind and generous word, or a good deed. And God has carefully chosen them to shape us into who we are and influence our character. I have been blessed with a lot of thoughtful care and support recently due to illness, while have at the same time witnessed genuine faith, courage and trust in a friend who is beginning a journey of surgery and treatments for cancer; her belief and hope are such an encouragement!

Greater love has no one than this; that someone lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)

…people come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime…

Who do we call when…

                   …..we need advice

                             …..we need a shoulder to lean on

                                      …..we want to share joyful news

                                                …..we need to get away and play!

It’s so important to carefully choose the people we associate with because they have such an influence in our lives. Our real friends and family are people who stick by us no matter what “moment” we are living in, because they care about us…they love us…they understand us…they rejoice with us…they suffer with us!  We are blessed when they also have pure hearts that love the Lord so that they can encourage and motivate us to stumble and not fall; rejoice and sing praises out loud. They help us to clearly see and fulfill the vision that God puts into our hearts. They may seem like a Godsend, and they are! The bible tells us to choose our friends carefully, and when we allow God’s intervention, one of the first things we may see is that He starts pruning out those He doesn’t want in our lives, and bringing in those He does.

The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of

the wicked leads them astray (Proverbs 12:26)

My family and friends near, my wonderful blogger friends, and my family and friends far, have given me endless faith, encouragement, and support; they have brought me peace and happiness that I could never experience otherwise! The encouragement we give to each other blesses each of us in a unique and special way, and we must always protect and embrace it!

.Let us never give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another-

and all the more as you see the day approaching. (Hebrews 10:25)