You Need A Friend?

Posted by Unknown | Labels: Devotions

I had the privilege of hearing Lisa Whelchel speak last fall. Now if you don't know who that is ~ you are still a baby. She was a star on my favorite sit-com back in the 80's when I was a teenager. I know I prefer to call myself vintage not old.

Lisa played Blair on the Facts of Life. The problem was she spent her youth as a movie star lonely for real life friends~ which made her "needy." She grew up not knowing how to pick "safe friends." That led to many hurtful experiences as she shares in many of her books.

She accepted Christ as her Saviour and He did a work in her life. Her story really is one to read~ I promise you that. I have read many of her books about her homeschooling journey to her book about picking safe friends. God sent her on a journey of learning to have grownup friendships.

Do you have "safe friends." I have to admit I have a handful~ I am blessed.

“If you have two friends in your lifetime, you're lucky.

If you have one good friend, you're more than lucky.”

― S.E. Hinton

I remember a time in my life when I was lonely for a good friend. My sister has always been my best friend but she lived over an hour away and we were in different seasons of life. I was a mom of small children and she was in the upper teen years. I began to pray for friends and God heard my prayers. Friends just make life more simple to bear.

How do you know if a person is a safe person? I mean the kind of friend you can share your darkest hours with and know she loves you enough not to tell a soul.

First of all~ a safe friend is a person who has blown it and has been given mercy and grace herself from the Heavenly Father. She is willing to hand out mercy and grace to others. She know how to give and receive it.

I have several friends that go to different churches than I do. In fact most of my closest friends do. However~ they take God at His Word and they love and follow Jesus. Even though they have chosen a different path than I have~ they respect me and let me be me.

I have to say the greatest trait that a "safe friend" has is that they are not judgmental people. If someone is always judging others or even themselves~RUN for the hills as fast as your little flip-flops will take you.

( That reminds me of a Grammy story. My Boston was reading me a story from his Jesus book on facetime the other night and he told me that Jesus wears flip-flops. That is just the cutest!)

Don't you dare risk exposing your humanity to a girlfriend that can't accept imperfection.

A "safe friend" will trust God to make the changes in her life and the lives around her. She will not manipulate or try to control or guilt you to be what she thinks you should be. She will not try to fix you but leave you in the hands of the Master Potter. She just knows that it is God's job not hers.

A "safe friend" will live out her life before you and trust God with all the rest.

If you need a "safe friend" ~ pray for her. I know God will answer your prayer way beyond what you can imagine.

For all my sweet friends~ you are a blessing in my life!

Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.