Intercessory Prayer

Recently, my husband and I have been the recipients of “Intercessory Prayer.” Intercessory prayer means that you are offering prayers for others, i.e. friends, family members, co-workers. It is as simple as that. During our need for prayers, we can honestly say we could feel the prayers of others reaching heaven and coming upon us to help us in our situation.  Within us, those wonderful prayers created peace, security, healing, and comfort to particular need.

Whose FACE will you pray for today?

Have you ever noticed that sometimes you can’t pray for yourself or the only thing you can do for others is pray for them? Maybe there has been an accident, an emotional or psychological incident, an unforeseen occurrence, or a spiritual dilemma creating an inability for you to pray. Those are the times to call upon your believing friends so they can lift you up in prayer and support you. There are also times, when you can’t do anything else but pray.

On October 29, 2014, while living in Lagos, Nigeria, an elderly-appearing man knocked on the back seat of the car window when I was stuck in bumper to bumper Lagos traffic. His wrinkles showed a very hard life. His dry swollen hand went up to his dry, cracked, parched lips begging for something to drink. Yes, I had a half Coke Zero in the car, but due to company security policy [due to possible kidnappings and armed robberies which are ongoing in Nigerian cities] we were strongly advised to err on the side of caution and not open our windows or doors for anyone. He stood there for what seems like an extremely long time. All I could do was turn my head away and pray. While I wished I could quench his thirst, I couldn't. There are really times you can't do anything but pray.

I have been writing out my prayers out in notebooks and journals since 1973! Yes, I know you don’t think I could be that old, but I was 17 years old when I started. I still have all those journals. It is very humbling to look back over my prayers. One day, I decided to look through some of my “prayer journals” and I saw that early in my Christian walk, most of my prayers were about ME and then about ME some more, but as I matured in the faith, I noticed my prayers had started becoming more about other people. Yes, I still pray about my concerns and life, but they seem to be a lot less about me and more for others now. Praise God.

In the Bible we can find many examples of intercessory prayers. Let’s look at three examples.

EZRA - In the book of Ezra, the scribe and scholar named Ezra, discovers an apathy developing among the Jews returning from Babylon to Jerusalem. The officials told Ezra about the Israelites and Levites not separating themselves from the Babylonians people and about their wicked acts and direct violations of God's will which included intermarrying with foreign women.

When Ezra heard this, he rent his undergarment* and his mantle*, he pulled hair from his head and beard, and sat down appalled. He trembled. He sat astounded. But then he arose from his depression and he fell on his knees and spread out his hands to the Lord his God. He then says, “O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to You, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads and our guilt has mounted to heavens. Since the days of our fathers we have been exceedingly guilty; and for our willfulness we, our kings, and our priests have been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, captivity, plundering, and utter shame, as it is today.” [Ezra 9:6-7 AMP] “Now while Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there gathered to him out of Israel a very great assembly of men, women, and children; for the people wept bitterly.” [Ezra 10:1 AMP] Within this example, we can see the dire pain that Ezra felt toward those returning Jews. He was interceding on their behalf. Have you ever interceded for someone with that much depth and passion before?

Another person who came boldly to God's throne in prayer is Paul. Paul prayed many times for believers in the New Testament. In Philippians 1:9-11 ESV, Paul prayed, "And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God."

Jesus was probably the ultimate intercessor of all times. He prayed for Peter that his faith would not fail. [Luke 22:32] He prayed for believers and His disciples. He prayed for those who crucified him. Many times Jesus prayed with deep cries and tears for those around him. As Jesus prayed, so should we.

But how do we know for whom to pray? There are so many people and so many needs. While not an exclusive list, I have found most of my directions to pray for someone has come from these sources.

• Seeing a need;
• Feeling a holy hunch that someone/some issue needs prayer;
• Hearing about a need and it being brought to my attention; and
• Discerning a possible prayer need.

Intercessory prayer is powerful. It is like putting yourself in someone else’s shoes, feeling their pain, and praying from God’s perspective. Let’s look around us this week and see for whom God brings to us to pray. There are many faces today that need our prayers. Look for that face in the crowd. And pray diligently and boldly.

In Jesus’ Name.

Bible Verses:
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people.
1 Timothy 2:1

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
Romans 8:26

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
James 5:16

Prayer:
Jesus, let us pray in your power and strength. Lord, show us people and issues that need our attention in prayer. Imprint their needs upon our hearts so we can’t let go until prayers have been lifted up for them. Let us pray as you would - seeking God and trusting all outcomes to You. Take our prayers and bring them to the Father. Let your will be accomplished through our prayers. Cleanse us so we can receive Your wisdom and discernment in all we do. Thank you Lord. Amen.

God bless you.
Patti Greene

* The undergarment was a tunic.

* In biblical times, a mantle was typically a large, loosely fitting garment made of animal skin, probably sheep skin.

Breneman, Mervin. Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther: an exegetical and theological exposition of Holy Scripture (The New American Commentary). Holman Reference. 1993.

"What in a mantle in the Bible?" Got Questions Ministries. [15 June 2015.]

If you are reading this blog from the official blog page and you would like to receive notification when new blogs are posted, please fill in your email address in the “Follow by Email” block on the upper left portion of the blog. http://plgreene.blogspot.com
And don’t forget COMMENTS are always welcome!

Books by Patti Londa Greene

Awaken Me: a devotional prayer journal
God, It’s Me: 181 Days for Young Adults to Become Passionate about Prayer and Bible Study

 

Accidents

Tony Evans tells the story about the cowboy who applied for health insurance. The agent routinely asked him, “Have you ever had any accidents?” The cowboy replied, “Well, no, I’ve not had any accidents. I was bitten by a rattlesnake once, and a horse did kick me in the ribs. That laid me up for a while, but I haven’t had any accidents.” The agent said, “Wait a minute. I’m confused. A rattlesnake bit you, and a horse kicked you. Weren’t those accidents?” “No, they did that on purpose.” Now that makes us laugh, but honestly accidents do happen.

There is a difference between accidents, mistakes, and sin. Accidents happen unexpectedly and unintentionally. Mistakes usually occur by judgment errors, misinterpretations, or by not paying attention to details. Sin occurs when we disobey the moral and Biblical instructions put forth in the Holy Bible.
 



Bicycle racks in front of Den Haag Central Station, The Hague, The Netherlands

Sometimes accidents kill. If you are reading this blog and you have experienced that type of accident with someone you know and love, I am so sorry. Three weeks ago my nephew’s good friend Adam was hit by a car when the driver failed to yield to the motorcycle he was on - killing him. My nephew was speechless that something like that could have been so easily preventable. We just don’t have the words for it.

But, today we are going to look at suffering and pain from the viewpoint of accidents, i.e. running into a concrete wall during basketball practice, being hit by lightning, electrical accidents. We are going to look at accidents that fortunately are not unto death. We must first understand that accidents do happen! They can happen because of risky behavior or they can happen without warning - with or without any ability on our part to avoid them. While we or a loved one may be in unrelenting or searing pain, the results are left in God’s hands. We know this because Jeremiah says, "For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcomes." 

Nowhere in the Bible does it say that we will be free from accidents. Mistakes and sins we can avoid, but not accidents. Sometimes accidents can’t be explained. Other times they are for a purpose - to test our faith – to keep us from evil – to increase our character - to help someone else in their faith walk.

A few years ago The Bama Group Research did a survey asking people what they would like to ask God. The number one question was that people wanted to ask God is “Why He allows pain and suffering in this world.” People usually ask that question when they are in the midst of a crisis situation or they are philosophically looking for an answer to the question. Either way, the question is asked frequently.

As a believer, when you are encountering pain and suffering due to an accident, how should you react to it?

-       Start by having others pray for you. You may need to have a family member or friend contact believers to pray for you. [You may or may not be in any condition yourself to be praying at this point and that is okay.] Having others pray for you is importance for two reasons. Others are encouraged to enter a season of prayer, which they may or may not have been utilizing in their Christian walk. And secondly, God hears the healing prayers of the righteous.  On a practical note, I love the phrase I have heard by Aaron Armstrong in Blogging Theologically. He says, “If any among you are sick, pray and get them to a doctor.”

-       Recognize that Jesus understands our pain, because he suffered himself.

-       Thank God for the strength to keep going – hour by hour, day by day, week by week, or month by month.

-       Don’t blame God for your accident. Accidents happen unexpectedly through tragedies, disasters, and untimely incidents.

-       Work hard NOT to become like King Ahaz in the Old Testament whose distress made him become more unfaithful the Lord. (2 Chronicles 28:22)

-       Recognize that God allows everything for his glory.

During and after a time of pain and suffering, many have said they have become more confident in their walk with the Lord and they feel a deeper compassion towards people. When explaining the Godly results of suffering, Mary J. Yerkes states it best in her article When We Suffer: A Biblical Perspective on Chronic Pain and Illness. Yerkes states:

- Suffering produces intimacy with God (Job 42:5)

- Suffering equips us to comfort others (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)

- Suffering refines us. (Isaiah 48:10)

- Suffering produces growth and maturity (James 1:2-4)

- Suffering conforms us into God's image (Romans 8:28-29)

 

 

Brovono Hospital, The Hague, Netherlands

Let’s all try to look at accidents in this way from now on. As I mentioned accidents will happen. Your child may fall off a balance beam and break their arm; you may swallow some money; or you may flip your bike doing wheelies. Whatever it is, let’s remember that God knows what has happened and He is there to get you through your pain, and to show you His intended purposes.

God bless you.
Patti Greene

Bible Verses:

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
Romans 8:18 ESV

Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
1 Peter 5:9-10 ESV

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Romans 5:3-5 ESV

 

Quotations:

As I look back over fifty years of ministry, I recall innumerable tests, trials and times of crushing pain. But through it all, the Lord has proven faithful, loving, and totally true to all his promises. 

David Wilkerson

I am not a theologian or a scholar, but I am very aware of the fact that pain is necessary to all of us. In my own life, I think I can honestly say that out of the deepest pain has come the strongest conviction of the presence of God and the love of God. 

Elizabeth Elliot

God never allows pain without a purpose in the lives of His children. He never allows Satan, [n]or circumstances, [n]or any ill-intending person to afflict us unless He uses that affliction for our good. God never wastes pain. He always causes it to work together for our ultimate good, the good of conforming us more to the likeness of His Son (See Romans 8:28-29). 

Jerry Bridges

Prayer:

Dear Lord, Give refuge and strength to me (or a loved one) as I (she/he) have encountered a difficult blow leading to tremendous pain and suffering. You alone are my fortress and my rock. Be my comfort. Let me see light soon. Heal me. Show me the purpose in my suffering. When I am healed, let me be used by YOU in a new and mighty way. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

 

If you are reading this blog from the official blog page and you would like to receive notification when new blogs are posted, please fill in your email address in the “Follow by Email” block on the upper left portion of the blog. http://plgreene.blogspot.com
 

And don’t forget COMMENTS are always welcome!

Books by Patti Londa Greene

Awaken Me: a devotional prayer journal

God, It’s Me: 181 Days for Young Adults to Become Passionate about Prayer and Bible Study

 

How to Pray for your Children

In October 1985, I found myself at Cypress Christian School* in Cypress, Texas where my daughter attended a once-a-week Mother’s Day Out program. It was there I picked up a sheet of paper that changed my life and more importantly the life of my children. At the time, I had a 3 year old daughter, a 1 year old son, and I was pregnant with my third child. This mimeographed page became my guide for how to pray for my children. These guidelines have been written in my Bibles, copied for friends, stored in my computer, and more importantly prayed over.


My Bible

 

This week I just feel led to share these with you. While I don’t know what your particular situation is or how old your children are, these guidelines may be the one thing that steers you to focus on praying for your newborn, preschooler, elementary age child, pre-teen, teenager and even older. When addressing the Lord over the years, some of the prayers below have been more important than others. For example, when my children were young, I would pray #1 mightily. When they were teenagers, I would pray #12 continually; and all through their life I would pray #9. Praying #3 is a little scary now that they are all adults, but hopefully by praying this when they were little, there is little chance of being in a precarious situation.

But, here is the deal. Praying God’s Word and protection for your children is essential in training them and fostering a healthy and God-centered life. When we become parents, we are in it for the long haul, so no matter what the age of your children, never stop praying for those whom God has given you care over whether they are your own children, your step-children, your God-children, or any child God has entrusted into your care. And remember, praying for your children does not stop once your children become adults. Parenting and praying is a lifetime commitment. 

And, if you haven’t been praying for your children, it is not too late. I implore you to start now cultivating a Godly character in your children and their children through your prayers.

1. That they will know Christ as Savior early in life. Psalm 63:1; 2 Timothy 3:15.

2. That they will have a hatred for sin. Psalm 97:10.

3. That they will be caught when guilty. Psalm 119:71.

4. That they will be protected from the evil one in each area of their lives: spiritual, emotional, and physical. John 17:15.

5. That they will have a responsible attitude in all their interpersonal relationships. Daniel 6:3.

6. That they will respect those in authority over them. Romans 13:1.

7. That they will desire the right kinds of friends and be protected from the wrong friends. Proverbs 1:10, 11.

8. That they will be kept from the wrong mate and saved for the right one. 2 Corinthians 6:14-17.

9. That they, as well as those they marry; will be kept pure until marriage. 1 Corinthians 6:18-20.

10.That they will learn to totally submit to God and actively resist Satan in all circumstances. James 4:7.

11.That they will be single-hearted – willing to be sold out to Jesus. Romans 12:12.

12.That they will be hedged in so they cannot find their way to wrong people or wrong places and that the wrong people cannot find their way to them. Hosea 2:6

 

All Grown Up!
Photo by Lindsay Elizabeth Photography

 

Bible Verses:

Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.

Ephesians 6:18 ESV [Praying always]

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.

Colossians 4:2 ESV [Continue in prayer]

Pray without ceasing.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 ESV [Pray without ceasing]

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

Romans 12:12 ESV [Continue steadfastly in prayer]

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, let me always remember to pray for my children and those under my care. Give them protection, security, and love as they mature and grow into the person You want them to be. Nurture their character so they will be honest, good, and sensitive to your Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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*Source: Unknown

Books by Patti Londa Greene

Awaken Me: a devotional prayer journal

God, It’s Me: 181 Days for Young Adults to Become Passionate about Prayer and Bible Study

Cleanse and Clean

The word ‘cleanse’ and ‘clean’ are used multiple times throughout the Old and New Testaments. Psalm 51:2 states, “Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!”

 

 



One day I decided to wash my ‘not-so-dirty’ kitchen curtains. What I wasn’t prepared for is that I did not know how to operate my new washing machine. My curtains were of the delicate kind – the kind that the manufacturer probably says, “We always recommend hand washing all lace curtains for the best results.” But, I wanted to try the quick, easy, and risky approach by washing them in my new washing machine. I convinced myself my machine had cycles appropriate for the lace fabric. The major problem I encountered was due to the fact I never read the instruction book on how to operate the machine. In addition to that, I did not look for the care instructions on the curtains.

To start with - I put way too much detergent in my machine which was evidenced by an extraordinary amount of suds! The suds were pouring out of my machine onto the kitchen floor – nice white fluffy suds - EVERYWHERE! In my endeavor, I started with the ‘Baby Care’ cycle. But, I soon realized I couldn’t open the washing machine door at the end of the cycle, I assumed the child lock was on. But, do you think I would know how to open the child lock? Absolutely not! Not wanting to spend the time to read the instruction book, I continued with my own plan. When the ‘Baby Care’ cycle finished, I started the ‘Delicate’ cycle in hopes that magically the door would open when the cycle had run its course. When the door wouldn’t open after the ‘Delicate’ cycle, I thought the third time would be a charm, so I started the ‘Quick 30 Minute’ cycle. When the door wouldn’t open after the ‘Quick 30 Minute’ cycle, I turned on the ‘Rinse-Spin’ cycle. Finally, at the end of that cycle, the door unlocked. So, my ‘not-so-dirty delicate curtains’ went through 4 unnecessary cycles of wash.

My washing machine had a clear glass window in the front. So, as I sat and watched my curtains go around and around through each cycle, I thought about how much God needs to clean us up sometimes. We might think we just need a little ‘rinse and spin’, but He knows if we need to go through the big, heavy-duty cycles like the ‘Synthetic’ or the ‘Blanket’ cycles. And just as I observed that day, God is going not going to let us go. He will keep cleansing and cleaning us up until he is ready to finally open the door and say, “That’s enough for now my child!”

But, what if I had read the instruction book? Would I have saved time and not put myself through so much worry, concern, time loss, or unnecessary cycles? I believe I would have.
So, today, let’s take out the Word of God (our instruction book) and read it. Let’s ask God to show us our sin and where we fall short; let us confess our sins; and let Christ to forgive us and cleanse us. And maybe, just maybe, our frustration will lessen and our time can be used more wisely.



My curtains had a happy ending. They were clean and white as snow when finished. God can clean us up also - Let Him.

God bless you.

Patti Greene

Bible Verses:

Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.
Isaiah 1:18 ESV

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9 ESV

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!

Psalm 51:2 ESV

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, Please keep me in Your Word daily. Let me read it for instruction on how to live my life. Let it be my guide and direction for every step I take in life. Let me continually see my sin and confess it daily, so that I will not have to go through a big hard cleansing all at one time. Protect me Lord and keep me grounded in You and Your Word. Amen.

To receive notification when new blogs are posted on this site, please fill in your email address in the “Follow by Email” block on the upper left portion of this blog. And don’t forget COMMENTS are always welcome.

Books by Patti Londa Greene

Awaken Me: a devotional prayer journal

God, It’s Me: 181 Days for Young Adults to Become Passionate about Prayer and Bible Study

Kindness

In Lessons Learned in Life, Snoopy, Charlie Brown’s pet dog in the comic strip Peanuts said, “Always believe something wonderful is going to happen. Even with all the ups and downs, never take a day for granted. Smile, cherish the little things, and remember to hug the ones you really love.”  Snoopy’s profound quote reminds me of a verse I read recently in Luke 6:38 [ESV]: It states, “Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” Basically, these two statements tell me that we may encounter tough times, but we should keep doing kind things for others, and when we do that, we will be blessed - not necessarily in verbal praise or in monetary ways, but by having a happy heart!

 

A few weeks ago I was in Star Furniture looking for some new chairs for my living room. As I was strolling the aisles, a lovely, elderly employee named Raymond* eyed me and told me I reminded him of his country - South Africa. I was intrigued as to why he said that since I just returned from living in Africa for two years. He quickly told me the leopard shirt I was wearing triggered memories of his birthplace and where he had lived most of his life. I told Raymond that my husband and I had just enjoyed a lovely vacation in Cape Town, South Africa ending our trek with an intriguing safari at the River Lodge Reserve in S.A. He bubbled over sharing about the country he had left 15 years ago for a move to the United States. I had made a Shutterfly photo book of our South Africa vacation which, when I told him about it, he wanted to see it. I emailed the link to our book to his wife’s email account later that day.

 

Then, yesterday, I needed to go back to Star Furniture to order a replacement piece for a piece of furniture I had bought there years ago. On my errand, I decided to throw my Shutterfly book into a bag for Raymond to see in case his wife overlooked my email or didn’t know how to open the file which I figured might be the case because of her age. [Please, don’t blast me for elder age discrimination, but I know how my parents are with their computer!]

Luckily, Raymond was working in the store when I returned. We both sat down on one of the store couches while he intently looked at every picture. He commented on places he had been: Table Mountain, Table Bay Hotel, and the Cape Town coastline. He smiled as he saw familiar sites and asked questions when he saw something new. He complimented my photographic skills especially when he was looking at the hyenas, tigers, and giraffes.  As I sat there watching his joy, he even stopped to educate me on South Africa's sausage tree* when I asked him about it.



Raymond was a true picture of gratefulness. His joy made my heart full. It wasn’t a big effort on my part to place the book in my bag as I was heading out to Star. It didn’t take a lot of time to sit with him and let him ponder the good old days. I was reminded that thoughtfulness towards others creates blessings on both sides. And, please don’t take me wrong. I hope I am not sounding proud by sharing this story. I pray this blog is taken with all the humility I can muster. But, I wanted to share how sometimes just a small gesture of love is all that is needed to create a pocket of happiness for someone else.

As I read AOL’s online news yesterday, there was an article about a 5 year old boy, Josiah Duncan, who noticed a disheveled, homeless man sitting down at a Waffle House in Alabama. Josiah was sitting with his mom when he noticed that no one was waiting on him. He became troubled so he started asking his mother some questions and she explained what it meant to be homeless. Soon afterwards this young boy “jumped up and asked him if he needed a menu.” When asked what he wanted to eat, the man asked if he could have some bacon. Josiah told the man he could have as much bacon as he wanted. Before the man “chowed” down his bacon, this young boy asked the man if they could bless the food. He agreed and 11 other customers began to pray. Wow! This one small gesture directly affected not only the homeless man, but also his mother, himself, and 11 other customers.

Let’s all pray to develop a lifestyle of kind gestures. It really is the little things that count. And, as Snoopy says, “Never take a day for granted.”

God bless you.

Bible Verses:

Let each of you look not only to his own interest, but also to the interests of others.

Philippians 2:4 ESV

Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor.

Proverbs 21:21 ESV

Prayer:

Lord, let me lift my spirit up to you: today, this week, and this month. Help me to create a lifestyle of kindness and thoughtfulness towards others. Remind me it is the little gestures in life that sometimes mean so much to others. Remove any empty gestures of love I may be tempted to show. Allow me to be an instrument of Your love – touching others with loving acts of kindness. Amen.

To receive notification when new blogs are posted on this site, please fill in your email address in the “Follow by Email” block on the upper left portion of this blog. And don’t forget COMMENTS are always welcome.

Books by Patti Londa Greene

Awaken Me: a devotional prayer journal

God, It’s Me: 181 Days for Young Adults to Become Passionate about Prayer and Bible Study

* Name changed
* a.k.a. the Kigelia Tree

Friends and Friendship

My friends remind me of flowers. They come with different names, different looks, different colors, and different occupations. They come with different parts, different fruits, different talents, and different purposes. Some flowers bloom at night and some flowers bloom during the day.

Our friends may be like us or they may be totally different than us. When I look at my close friends today, none of our relationships are the same. Some need nurturing; some need to nurture me. Some give me advice; some I give advice to them. Some like to eat at Mexican restaurants; some like to chat in their homes. Some like to talk politics; some do not know a thing about politics. Some friends are around for a season; some are around for a lifetime. Diversity reigns in friendships – and it’s so much fun.

Over the years, I have had many different kinds of friends. Some have been there to laugh with me; others have been there to encourage me; and others have been there to pull me out of a pit! My friends are valued treasures. They each have had a purpose in my life even if only for a season. Each friendship has been distinctive and productive.

My daughter is VERY social. I think she has around 1,800+ Facebook friends. When she had her third baby, I looked at her Facebook page and she had over 500 congratulations within 12 hours after the birth. That is incredible to me. I can tell you that she did NOT get her social energy from me. I am one of those people who usually have only a handful or two of good, solid friends at a time. I really can’t handle much more than that and be the type of friend I want to be (or should I say the type of friend God made me to be.)

Friends can be the biggest blessing ever. They are treasures to be valued. But, they can also be a huge disappointment if they stab you in the back or if they don’t fulfill their promises to you. But today, I want to talk about the kind of friends that love, nourish, and influence us for the better. Those are the friends I am most grateful for and those friends are whom I want to honor today in this blog.

A question I hear expressed over and over again is, “How should friends treat each other?” I want my friends to be gut-wrenching honest and respectful with me. I want my close circle of friends to cheer me up, to minister to me, to build me up, and to accept me for who I am – the good, bad, and the ugly. I, in turn, hope I can be that same kind of friend to them. The most hurtful thing I have experienced with friends, or should I say ‘so-called-friends’ is when I have found out they have betrayed a confidence and/or gossiped about me. Some of you know how painful that can be. It’s not nice.

On Pinterest, I found this quote by Ed Cunningham. On the post he says, “Friends are those rare people who ask how we are and then wait to hear the answer.”  How true is that? With casual acquaintances we expect to say, “Hi, how are you?” anticipating the common answer as "I'm fine.” But, with our friends, we want more than the “I’m fine” response. We enjoy listening to them, learning about their life, and loving them.

Our friends shape our lives. They help us make the right choices. They will pray for us. They will support us in our anguish. And they know when to give us breathing room. Social media friends are nice for a little chat every once in a while, but face-to-face communication is best for deep friendships. I love my ‘SHOW AND TELL’ friends. Those are my friends I can stuff my purse with grandchildren pictures, my newest lipstick, my ‘not so good’ sewing attempt, and just share them. It is through this sharing that they will learn what made me who I am today. And, I love it when my friends turn around and share their “deep moments” with me, like perusing their wedding album, showing me their garden, or taking me to their favorite hangout.

The Bible talks of many friendships. God and Abraham were friends. Abraham trusted God to lead him in the right direction. Jonathan and David had a deep friendship that started in their youth. Even though they had parted due to necessity, their love for each other and their immediate family remained strong until death and even after. Ruth and Naomi were brought together through Naomi’s marriage to Ruth’s son. When Naomi’s husband died, their friendship continued and their friendship brought peace, joy, and contentment to each other. Then, there is Peter and Jesus. Peter stood by Jesus until his death. Even though Peter had denied Jesus, their relationship reconciled and continued. You might find yourself in the midst of one of these kinds of friendships right now. If so, be grateful - they are God's gift to you.

Unfortunately, some people do not have many or any friends. This type of loneliness is tragic. Many times loneliness engulfs someone while they are living or working around multitudes of people. When I first moved from St. Louis to Houston, I struggled with loneliness. Sure, I met people at work, but they were casual acquaintances. I remember for years not having even one person that I knew well enough to call up on the phone to talk to. Even being a church member was not meeting my “friendship quota.”  Friends take time and between working a full time job and having a body that tired that I required a daily nap, I could not make friends. I just was doing all I could to get through the day juggling my job, the kid’s school activities, and my much needed daily siestas. Occasionally, a nice long phone call or a random chat would meet my need, but it was not too long until, I was feeling lonely again craving what I could not give, but still I longed to have.

In 2012, I retired from my job. I suddenly found myself with time to make some friends. I knew that close friendships take time to cultivate. I started praying for the Lord to show me who would meet my “friend need.” I realized I had to create time and be the initiator of “friend time” – sort of like how young moms plan play dates for their children. I needed to make adult play dates. I decided to invite people out to lunch just so we could chat and get to know each other. Unbelievably, I now have the reputation of having a "LUNCH MINISTRY" meaning I go out to lunch and get to know people. While I can’t say that everyone I reached out to reached back, but those who did usually became my good friends. I have not obtained thousands of friends, but I do have some very close friends that are there for me no matter what. But, it took time and effort on my part.

As I have mentioned, my relationships with my friends are all different. Most of these friends and I have a spiritual connection; we talk about God and spiritual matters also.

Below is the first word that came to mind when I was thinking of my friends. Their names have been changed, but just look for their diversity.

Gail – What fun we have laughing!

Penelope – A good political discussion gets our minds moving.
Sheila – Oh boy, we share pictures of our kids and grandchildren when we are together.
Kris – In the old days, ice-skating together was cool.
Betty – When I need encouragement, Betty is always there.
Bobbie – I listen. Bobbie listens. We learn from each other.
Debra – A deep chat on books, publishers, and business can nourish us both.
Jolie – Crazy. Oh crazy Jolie. We are so different but we can act crazy together.

Andrea – Fashion, purses, shoes, shopping – that is our link.

Wilemenia – It never fails. We go and eat Mexican Food! We love it.

If you find yourself lacking in friendship, you most likely will have to make the first step. Invite someone to breakfast, lunch, dinner, or anywhere that suits your fancy - somewhere where you can converse and get to know one another! Understand that not everyone you desire to be your friend will want to be yours. They may be overloaded with other responsibilities or life issues, so do not allow your feelings to be hurt. Each attempt to cultivate a friendship is one step closer than you were before. I have been in positions where I have inwardly though that I could never be friends with so-and-so. And guess what God did? He made some of them my very best friends. Show yourself friendly, be interested in those you encounter, and keep praying.

My friendship ramblings could go on, but I will stop now so you can spend a little time meditating about friends you have had, friends you have now, and friends you will have in the future. Sometimes you end up with a weed (a bad choice of a friend) and you need to walk away. Other times you may end up with a big ‘ol pink Gerber daisy type friend to laugh and share your life journey with. Best wishes all!

Bible Verses:

And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.
Luke 6:31 ESV

Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

Romans 12:10 ESV

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

Proverbs 17:17

Prayer:

Lord, thank you so much for the friendships you have allowed me to have and those I have right now. Allow me to be the kind of friend that will honor you and your Word. Let me recognize and reach out to people who need a friend. Let me love others as I honor You and Your Word. In Jesus’ Name. Amen

Comments are welcome.

Awaken Me: A Devotional Prayer Journal (ISBN 978-1-4627-2578-6)
God, It's Me: 181 Days for Young Adults to Become Passionate about Prayer and Bible Study (ISBN 978-1-4627-3821-2)