My friend Sue
One morning last month, I woke up to a phone call from my friend, Sue. We hadn’t connected in many years. What a wonderfully delightful gift the next twenty minutes were!
Sue was on a several day pause between her master’s program and the beginning of her internship. She decided to use those days to call the friends she connected with along her journey and say thank you; thank you for how you contributed to who I am today. I was one of those friends. Surprised? YES! Overwhelmed? YES! Humbled? YES! Thankful? ABSOLUTELY!
She shared several stories that we experienced together. Most I remembered. Some I did not. She spoke of taking walks together, going to coffee shops together, having dinner with Bill and me — even the conversation we shared over the dinner table one particular night. She shared about staying overnight in our home soon after one of my foot surgeries. All of these stories happened 15 – 20 years ago.
The nugget buried in each and every story was how I ministered to her. Huh? I would have called it friendship.
My leather journal — the one I review often and use to fuel my prayers — devotes several pages to what I call my life lessons. After her call that morning, I amended three of my life lessons.
Life Lesson #3 – I don’t need to create ministry, or accept all that comes my way. I do need to create space for God. Amended, August 2020 – I don’t need to wonder if I’m ministering to a friend. I just need to be where I am and who I am.
Life Lesson #4 (a sub-point) – Ministry is not what I do; ministry is who I am. (Similar, I know) Amended, August 2020 – Friendship is ministry. “A friend loves at all times;” Proverbs 17:17. Love is what ministry is all about.
Life Lesson #7 – Influence is ministry. Affirmation, prayer, stewardship are all qualities that contribute to influence. Amended, August 2020 – Friendship is influence.
“Long before he laid down the earth’s foundations
he had us in mind and settled on us as the focus of his love,
to be made whole and holy by his love.”
Ephesians 1:4, The Message
This verse was the key to another memory Sue shared. We were both at a staff development training in Indiana 19 years ago. I remember. She spoke of the small group we were in together when I shared this verse. I don’t remember. My words were (and I trust her memory) “That wholeness and holiness result from receiving and trusting God’s love for us.”
To this day, that verse — the ink now faded — is at the very top of page 4 in my leather journal. I continue to pray almost daily to receive and trust God’s love for me. I anchor it with verse 5.
“In love he predestined us for adoption
according to the purpose of his will.”
Ephesians 1:5, ESV
My (our) adoption is filled with purpose. For me knowing God has purpose for my life is an indicator of his love for me. And I’ve often said, friendship is a high value for me.
In the connections God orchestrates like the one last month, friendship, purpose, and ministry seamlessly weave together in one package wrapped in his love.
In 1983, Michael W. Smith recorded a song, Friends are Friends Forever. For sure, he was on to something. You might remember it. Here is the chorus.
“And friends are friends forever
If the Lord’s the Lord of them
And a friend will not say never
‘Cause the welcome will not end
Though it’s hard to let you go
In the Father’s hands we know
That a lifetime’s not too long
To live as friends”
Yes, Sue will forever be a friend even though we rarely are together. We live about 1000 miles apart. Her affirmations challenge me. I want to be a friend like that!
What about you. I wonder if you might put a piece of your story in the comments about a friend who has affirmed you. We’d all be blessed.
You might remember, last Thursday’s post ended with John 15:5, “… without me you can do nothing.” Next Thursday some more thoughts about nothing.
Copyright: Sue Tell, September 2020
I have a few friends that come to mind, besides you of course. I’m not eloquent with my wording as you.
One became my friend when she started dated a good friend of ours nearly 30yrs ago. They married but never had children. Ours were still fairly young back then. Today she is especially my Sister in Christ. We talk about all sorts of Godly topics and ideas. We pray for each other daily. It wasn’t always that way but I’m blessed now that it is.
Another has been my church friend for even longer. Another Godly woman I’m blessed to call my Sister in Christ. She knows her bible inside and out, I am not so gifted. We love talking to each other.
With both of these women, our conversations are at least an hour long, even when we lived in Colorado and now even more so that I’m in Florida.
I love your Echos Of Grace more than you know. Thank you Sue…
Hi Diane — You are sure gifted in affirmation. Thank you so much for your kind words.
And I agree friends God brings into our lives are a gift for us and often bring strengths to the friendship that we need. I’m also sure you bring your uniqueness-es to your friendships that they are so very thankful for.
Speaking of thankfulness, I’m so thankful to call you my friend. Who would have ever thought that baskets would lead to a long-term, across the miles friendship!!
Blessings from Colorado, sue