God puts people in our lives everyday. Some are there for a short time, a season we are walking through. And some He gives us for longer. Our friendships are important to us and to God. And as women, our friendships with our girlfriends are even dearer. Our relationships with our girlfriends are some of the most intimate we have. They know our secrets, our worries, our praises, our fears. They walk with us through the good and the bad. They comfort us, guide us, console us.
God tells us in the story of Job how friendship looks. Many of you know the story of Job in the Bible. Job had trouble after trouble after trouble hit him and yet he never gave up trusting God. He never lost faith. In Job 2:11-13, When Job’s three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him. When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.
They sat with him for seven days and seven nights. That's what friends do. We give up our time, our "agenda" and met a friend where they are. We are commanded by Jesus to love each other just as Christ has loved us. (John 15:12). True friendships are built on love and trust in each other.
It amazes me how God knows who we need in our lives and when. Elizabeth entered my circle in a time in my life where I was just beginning to grow in my faith. Oh how sweet she was. Her blue eyes always shined full of Christ's light. And if you ever needed a hug, she was your girl! We would volunteer together at our church's outreach ministry every Wednesday and Friday. Side by side we would pray with people, love on the homeless, feed the hungry and just be the hands and feet of Jesus together. Those are my most favorite memories with Elizabeth.
Every Saturday night our families would go to church together and then out for Mexican food. It was special time where we could laugh, share, cut up a little, and of course, get in a little trouble! I miss those dinners. But because of those moments together, our families are forever linked.
Friends are always there for each other. My friendships with my girlfriends are important. Each of the women in my life are godly, Christian women who love me through it all. That's what God wants for us. Strong women who have walked through the same seasons we are going through and can show us to continue to trust because God is faithful and it will be ok.
For several years I watched Elizabeth be kind and love others while she was suffering inside. I watched her continue to do life while her body began to fail. This is the first friend I have had to say a final good bye to. But God gives us these friends for a purpose. Elizabeth was the real deal. She was a true ambassador for Christ. She had true faith and she wore it proudly. She was one of those people that was just full of love. This world is going to miss her incredible spirit. There is a void that will never be filled. But God has healed her and I am so thankful for that. I am even more thankful that I had her as a sister in Christ to walk through life with me.
If there is one thing I can take away from my friendship with Elizabeth it is this....faith. Faith through it all. Faith through the yuckiness of diseases. Faith through the stresses of family. Faith through the unknowns that life throws at you. Faith. Strong, resilient, never-ceasing or wavering faith. Elizabeth didn't have the perfect life but she carried perfect faith throughout her life.
Cherish your friendships with your girlfriends. Nourish them. Pray over them. Know that those women are part of your life for a reason. They were gifted to you by God. Praise God for those relationships. I may not be able to hug Elizabeth but I know that she is walking streets of gold today. I can just picture her sitting at the feet of Jesus savoring every word he says. And she has the biggest smile on her face. She looks healthy, happy and at her very best. Praise God for His gift of eternal life. And I praise God for my friendship with Elizabeth. Thank you Elizabeth for what you brought into my life. Thank you for loving me even when I was ugly. Thank you for loving my family and making all of us part of yours. I will forever miss you ladybug. But we will hug again one day won't we....
http://www.coxrichmondhillfh.com/obituary/elizabeth-ambrose
Dear Lord, thank you for creating relationships for us through girlfriends. Thank you for purposefully putting women in our lives to build us up in You. I especially thank you for Elizabeth and for welcoming her home. I pray that you will be with her husband, Mark. Comfort him Lord for he has lost the love of his life. Bring peace to her family as they learn to continue on without her there with them. Amen.
Amen. Thank you for sharing this. My heart is with you special lady.
ReplyDeleteThank you Judy!
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