Good Friends are Hard to Find

This past weekend I, as Lauren's maid of honor, was able to throw her a "last night out" type of bachelorette party. From the shopping, great chats, pool time, fun, and more importantly prayer over her we had it made me realize more then ever how much she means to me. Christ instructs us throughout scripture on the necessity of making Godly and glorifying relationships. Among the filth of the world is hard to come across people, friends in fact that truly do lift you up, encourage you, and more importantly set an example for you in deed and mind of how to glorify and love the Lord better. Lauren is that for me! I have had the privilege of not only watching her come to know the Lord, but watching Him sanctify her over the past four almost five years of her life. It has been such an amazing thing to watch as a best friend and it has spurred me on to strive to live a holy life. Her passion to honor Him in every area of her life motivates me and others to strive for that as well.

Friends, our brothers and sisters in the Lord, are important assets in our growing walk with the Lord. The body of Christ works together as a whole to glorify and honor our Lord and Savior and without each other we would fail miserably. We need each other. Where one may be weak another is strong and vice versa. It is through these God-ordained friendships that we are able to see the hand of God move. He has used Lauren and my friendship over the years to get through many trials and challenge one another to grow in Him. I thank God each and every day for her as it says in Philemon 4-7, "I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, 5because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints. I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints." I pray that as she enters this next season of her life that she will only get to know our Savior better and learn to serve Him more whole-heartdly as she desires to live a pure and blameless life before Him.

Although we will be separated by distance and our relationship will change dramatically I am confident that He who began a good work in us will be faithful to complete it! And being confident that God brought us together as friends, I know we will be that into eternity!

More pics click to the left: MYPHOTOS :)