“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: What! You, too? I thought I was the only one.”
C.S. Lewis
I am not one who easily makes friends. It's just not in my make up I guess. I have lots of acquaintances yes, but friends? People I have risked letting know the "real" me? Those are few and treasured.
I am not sure why I am so hesitant to take the risk of making friends. It's the way God wired me, I guess. If you were to ask me how I feel about that, I would tell you that I am pretty happy with the way things are. My life is pretty darn full and I really don't have the room or the time for new friendships right now thankyouverymuch.
At least that's what I would have said before this past week.
Apparently, God knows better. Who'd a-thunk?
Through what can only be described as Divine Intervention, I have been blessed with making the acquaintance of a group of women who have already welcomed me into their "clan" and I am grateful to (dare I say it?) call them friends.
This has not come easily for me. I have had to step waaaaaay out of my comfort zone. I have had to put myself out there. Expose parts of the "real" me to these ladies. I had to take a risk. I didn't want to, but God knew what I needed even if I didn't. And because this has His fingerprints all over it, it turned out better than I could have ever planned for myself.
These women are a group of homeschooling moms --- sisters and best friends since childhood. Their camaraderie and love for one another is enviable. I had met one of the sisters at church years ago. We were acquaintances --- exchanging pleasantries on Sunday mornings --- but it never went beyond that. Recently we connected when both our daughters signed up for a class through the local parks and recreation.
While our littles were in class we passed the time chatting about this and that. We talked about "safe" things like homeschooling and our church. Soon God was nudging me to open up to her and share things I might not otherwise. Thankfully I listened. She opened her heart too and shared a bit of herself as well. I told her I was envious of the relationship she had with her sisters, especially since I lost one of my sisters and that I am currently going through a difficult time with my other sister. Long story short, I don't have a strong support system there.
She then shared something with me that proved that God had a hand in all of this. She said that she and her sisters realized that what they had was indeed a blessing. They were grateful for the support system God had given them and they had prayed that He would use them to bless others along the way. She said through the years mothers had come and gone to their group. They were there for a season and left when life took them in a different direction. She felt strongly that the women they had welcomed into their circle were answers to prayers and prayed that in return they were the same to them.
She then said to me that I need not worry. I had new sisters now. Sisters that had my back. Sisters that would walk beside me for as long as I needed them. No promises of forever. Just the blessed assurance that right now I am not alone. I have God and He gave me them.
Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family:
Whatever you call it, whoever you are,
you need one.
Jane Howard
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