.jpg)
Friends have always been so important to me. I am so incredibly blessed to have so many great friends who have certainly gone above and beyond over the last year. This group of GIRLS is no different! Meet Mary Margaret, Kaysha and Amy. We were all apart of a supper club (with our husbands) for many years here in Hattiesburg. We have so many wonderful memories together and thank the Lord we continue to make them. The Lord has carried each of us in different directions over the last several years which caused great sadness yet excitement as God's hand has led each of us. Amy and Scott moved to Midland, Texas, where he is on staff at a church. Kaysha and Hal left Hattiesburg for Kansas for Hal to attend medical school. The Lord has recently moved them to Birmingham for a continuation of school. Mary Margaret and Tim are still hanging with me in Hattiesburg and boy am I thankful God has left them here! Jason loved this group of friends so much and was always wanting us to get together more than our schedule allowed. This past weekend the girls met in Birmingham for a wonderful weekend of shopping, eating, laughing, crying, praying, more laughing and more crying. It was medicine for my soul. We also got to take in a Broadway show...WICKED. It was fabulous!As we sat around this weekend we were able to share all that God was teaching us in the season we were currently in. It was very overwhelming to hear and see all God had done in each of our lives over the last several months. Once again I was able to see God's faithfulness. His hand was evident. There has been pain, disappointment, fear, loss, bitterness, forgiveness, happiness, and JOY. None of the paths He has taken us down have been easy yet in EVERY situation His love and hand was evident. A love that truly never lets go even in the darkest of times.
These girls will never know how "held" up I feel while in their presence and for that I am so blessed. I just wish we could get together more often. So, thank you sweet friends for the incredible weekend. Thank your sweet husbands for the sacrifices they made to make it happen! (We have 12 kids between the four of us!)
Thank you to my parents and Jason's parents for carrying the load while I was away. Once again...I am blessed to have such amazing support around me right now. My family AND friends amaze me more and more everyday. Our God is good to provide these relationships! Oh, how I pray I can be even a small blessing in all of their lives for all they have done for me...they'll never know fully.
6 comments:
Sounds like so much fun. You are blessed to have such a great core of wonderful friends.
Praying for you daily :)
Gosh...I'm so jealous. Kristen...how should we deal with this?
I am so glad that you had fun. Even if you DID miss Beth Moore with me for it. Looks like you had a blast.
Friendship was a great idea. God is good. Love you,
Amy
We live too close, Becky. Only the ones that throw theater tickets and free room and board get Steph's attention...
;)
Kristen
So glad you had a great weekend. Praying for you!
Stephanie, do not think because I haven't written in a while, that you and your children, and yours and Jason's family do not remain on my heart and in my prayers constantly. I want to share another devotional I just got that immediately made me think of you. Your last couple of posts have touched my heart. What a blessing you are, even in the midst of your loneliness and pain. I have no doubt that God will provide you with incredible JOY - but in His time. In the meantime, you just keep on keeping on, and continue to bless us with YOU, and your infinite wisdom. Here is the devotional:
The Small Viewfinder
April 3, 2009
Jeremiah 29:1, 4-13: This is what the LORD says: ". . . For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future..."
On the train last weekend, two young men kept pointing digital cameras out the train window to take photos of Long Island Sound. I could see through the viewfinder of the camera, and even then could see how beautiful the water looked. It seemed a waste, though, to try to fit such gorgeous scenery into that tiny frame.
Sometimes I think our limited human imaginations give us that same beautiful but very limited view of the way God works in our lives. I know that when I pray, I tend to pray about small earthly matters. My "viewfinder"--my imagination based solely on human experience and human possibilities--cannot give a view that does justice to the full power of God.
I find it exhilarating that God says to human beings, "I know the plans I have for you...plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." I also find it very unnerving. So I have always prayed only about small earthly concerns, a safer route than being open to all possibilities of God's imagination.
But God has plans for me, so I have stopped praying for my safe, small things. Now I pray for courage to accept the grand plans formed in the imagination of God.
I pray for the courage to abandon my narrow human viewfinder."
Peace for today, Stephanie, and know that our prayers are with you, always. Carolyn Laster
Post a Comment