Thursday SHINE....

Today's Reading: 1 Samuel 29,30

Happy Serve Day Thursday, SHINE girls!

Today, serve someone in your path. Make an effort to go out of your way and make a difference today. Even the smallest little act of service, reaps BIG rewards of JOY in another persons life. 

As we focus on the friendship between Jonathan and David this week, I asked my friend Mary to post. 

She's been a solid Jonathan in my life for many years now. I'm so grateful for her friendship. 

Be blessed by her post and encouragement today, sweet friends. I know you will!

Being a Jonathan             
Mary Balicki      

 

Hi there, SHINE Friends.  Jill asked me to open up about friendship and of course, I’m happy to share about this awesome gift in my life.  

You know what, I have loved this reading in I Samuel over the last week.   

I really love to read about David and Jonathan.  I get them.  They needed each other and they strived to help one another.  David has a need and Jonathan is trying to solve the problem and likewise.   That just speaks to me, y’all.  I relate to this so well.

For me, there is nothing sweeter than friendly fellowship among other godly women.  God designed us this way. 

I always say that He sure knew I needed help and that’s why he chose to bless me in this area.  That’s the truth.  It’s so much more about my girlfriends than about me. 

They have loved me unconditionally - - even when I’ve been unlovely.   They have also been there, on those days when I couldn’t brush my hair, because the valley was so wide and my pain was too great.  They have been the true Hands and Feet of Jesus in my life.

It’s an awesome thing to be loved like that.  To know that there are those friends who see your name come up on their phone and they don’t hesitate.  For me, that begins with being that type of friend. 

In my experience, the number one key to being a friend is “showing yourself friendly” by showing up…yes, that’s it.  There are no magic formulas, no hidden ingredients.  If you committed to going – by all means, please go!   

We all have those days that it’s just easier to stay home than to worry with making it all work but honestly, if you said you were going, your word means something and if it doesn’t – then start a new day of making it mean something.

Here’s a little story:  One day, I ran a race – it was my first and I hadn’t trained for it at all.  Zilch.  

Silly, I know.  Good news, though, I had this sweet friend at my side, who was in far better shape and could have smoked me.  Guess what, she didn’t.  No, she stayed right with me and we finished right in sync, together.  I remember being amazed.

With her there, I felt stronger, more capable and continued to endure throughout- right to the end.

That race has really become an awesome picture of our friendship.  She doesn’t miss anything in my world and neither do I when it comes to her.  

She has expressed how much that means to her and she doesn’t even have to say, because I know all too well.  It’s the best feeling to know you have each other’s back.   

So, if you have been blessed with a Jonathan.  Call her – go see her and when she invites you – show up. 

Proverbs 18:24  

A man that has friends must show himself friendly,

and there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.