Friday, February 24, 2012

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)

11 comments:

  1. Denise, everything you say here is SO true!! True friends are such blessings and they DO leave footprints on my heart! Thank you for a lovely post.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Denise - friends and friendships are a great gift from God. You are a great gift for me!
    God bless
    Tracy

    ReplyDelete
  3. Well friend, you have definitely been one of those friends that have left prints on my heart...I feel so blessed that God allowed our paths to cross. I am aways encouraged when I visit with you and I can always count on you to direct us toward the Father for all our needs.

    You are a gift....Thank you for these words today because they have reminded me to be thankful for all those God has put in my path along my journey....

    ReplyDelete
  4. Friends are such a blessing and a gift from God! You are right, just as God's word says, it is a wise person who chooses friends carefully. Of course, this is not to say that we shouldn't reach out to those who need the Lord -- that is a mission we all share! But we need surround ourselves with other Christians who can encourage us on our walk and also keep us accountable! Blessings Denise!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Lovely post Denis and I have always said if you can find one true friend you have found a treasure. Because we all need one another we don't have to know them in order to need them. Jesus said if a friend falls down and has no one to pick him up is is helpless. We are created for relationships.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I smile as I think of all the beautiful footprints left by my beautiful friends :) It is truly a gift to have faithful, godly friends who stand with you through thick and thin, even if they are miles away.
    Blessings to you my friend!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Denise,

    This is a wonderful reflection on the gift of friendship. Even as I was reading it, I found myself thinking of different friends in my life. There was a lot to chew on...but I especially liked this, "people come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime."

    Thank for being a sweet blessing to your readers.

    Blessings in Christ...Susan

    ReplyDelete
  8. Beautiful thoughts and beautiful artwork,Denise. Yes, friends are a blessing from the Lord and they are a strong support in times of trouble. Allowing the Lord to bring in those friends He hand picks for us is so important. Because friends influence our lives.
    I am grateful for the friends He has put in my life. I can't imagine making it through without them. Thank you for being among them and for your encouraging words and prayers. Praying for this storm to be over soon.
    Blessings,
    Janis

    ReplyDelete
  9. I so agree. And I'm so glad we met through our blogs. You have been an encouragement to me. May we lift each other up in prayer and friendship Denise. I can't wait to meet you in person.

    blessings and love,
    Debbie

    ReplyDelete
  10. Love it when you wrote, "Our genuine beauty comes through our passionate desire to live a life with purpose, and we are fulfilled when we live out God’s plan for us." Truer words were never penned. Thanks for encouraging me this morning, Denise. Hope you have a refreshing, blessed day,
    Susan

    ReplyDelete