Purpose In The Story

Recently I wrote a post about being real in friendship.

I asked the question: Can we all be real? 

I wrote about how I still struggle with thinking I am not good enough, and wanting to hide even though I desperately long for real, true, genuine friendship. 

One of my dear friends reminded me that we have that kind of a friendship.  And it has taken a decade for us to get to where it is today.

We encourage each other.

We speak truth into each other’s lives.

We accept each other.

We listen to each other.

We understand each other.

We help each other to grow.

It wasn't our friendship from the beginning, and it isn't our friendship now.

We invested in this friendship, even when it meant we'd face fears, hurt and shame. This friendship we share has been well cultivated by the Master Craftsman. This friendship we share is Our Father's, and we give thanks for what He's given us in each other. 

There's a story behind this friendship our Father crafted in us. It's time we tell some of the story because that is our responsibility.

We worship Him when we share of His amazing love.

We live today remembering that it comes wrapped up in bunches of yesterdays. 

We honor the yesterdays for their purpose, giving thanks for the grace of today.

And so, we'll courageously ask our Father to walk us into the memory of yesterday to tell the story of how we arrived at today. We'll both write in this corner of the world, this space God provided. And we'll take as long as the telling needs to be all told out. Because, there's purpose in our ugly and the hard stuff in our stories really is allowed to create beauty.

There are people who we believe need to hear our story for their own story. And so, it is out of trust and worship to our Father that we humbly share small bites, as God leads us - to nourish and give hope - and, to share a message of a friendship well invested.

Might you stay with us and find grace as we begin to tell our story*... 

Thank you, Father, for the courage you have given us to read through this story and to see your grace.  You have purpose for our yesterdays and your handiwork in our lives is a reflection of your love.  We see that truly, *all of this* is grace. 

* This is the first in a seven-part series on friendship and grace.  

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Gratitude for Unwrapped *Gifts* of {Grace}...

...seeing grace in a story lived...

...courage to read through a story of yesterdays...

...love wrapped up in grace...

...an altar in *this space* to worship by telling a story of mercy...

...ugly sin washed away and made into beauty...

...a new friendship...

...how He answers when we lean on Him...

...healing...

...truth to tell and trust it is for purpose...

...how being real touches hearts...

...a story for our children...

...beautiful marriages and friendships...