Tonight, I ate dinner with a passionate man of God. I first met him twenty years ago when I was working at a nursery in Abilene while in college. We quickly became great friends. I guess a better way of putting it is that God put us together 20 years ago in Abilene. And, even though I haven't talked to him in 14 or so years, we were able to pick up again where we left off.
Fourteen years filled with striving, failure, successes and trauma. Fourteen years of living life and seeking God...and finding a truely vibrant and passionate relationship with Jesus. Fourteen years of the challenges of special needs children. We have both gone through personal losses, personal tragedies and personal growth in our relationship with Jesus. I love this brother.
We talked tonight for two hours...I could have gone another 6 hours without batting an eye. We traded stories on how the Lord has seen us through and how God has been using us. We both started as conservative religious and both ended up being passionately changed by the Gospel. What are the chances?
Do you have anyone in your life like that? Or better stated, has God placed anyone in your life like that? What has that relationship done to you?
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I have also been richly blessed by deep friendships. Probably not typical "friends" - but friends that ask me hard questions, sit with me through hard circumstances, celebrate with me, and remind me of who God wants me to become...and how they see that happening. Yep, a journey of change with Jesus at the center and friends he has planted to guide me along the way. When I think of "stewardship" one of the first things I know think of is the relationships God has blessed...and entrusted...me with that I must steward. Way before my finances and other stuff man created....God created relationships. (And thanks for stopping by and saying "hey" on my blog.)
ReplyDeleteThe longer I have lived, the more I see what you describe as "The Church". These relationships not only should be natural occurring, but they provide for a deep need.
ReplyDeleteJust this last Sunday I was encouraging a good friend and leader in our church, letting him know that every week his discipling efforts were paying off in me, even though we haven't had weekly time together in over 4 years.
Another friend who moved to California three years ago is getting ready for a missionary move to Scotland. On his fund-raising trip to Texas, he came by our place twice, and conversation about that the Lord continued as if it had never stopped - except much deeper.
In June, I'll be going down to New Braunfels to meet with a brother who is another incredible warrior, and I expect our conversations to be rather important as well. They always are.
If there's somebody out there in a church that isn't meeting this deep need, I'd say ask the Lord to either bring you someone or move you. If God brings you someone, it will change the whole church. If He moves you, run with Him, because your faith is about to increase tenfold.
Amen Brad. Ask and God will provide.
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