Girl Friends

Well, I went to visit with the girlfriends. Now, they were friends in college that I hadn't seen in 30 years. They weren't my best friends. They had been in classes with me and in clubs. They had seen some of each other over the years, but I had not seen any of them. So, while I felt that my idea of getting together to visit with this sick friend was a good idea, I was also anxious.

But, things went well. We got along fabulously. And I found that over time I could be real. They were not interested in playing a good face of the perfect Christian. They were interested in being real. So while one shared of the heart ache of birthing dead children and the other shared of aging parents and their problems, I shared of my childhood and the drama therein. I shared for awhile and stopped. And asked if that was too much. They were interested and not at all put off by my imperfectness. I could not have done this 30 years ago while attending college. But I was able to do this now. They were receptive, not put off. I was accepted, as an imperfect person who had struggled because of abuse. But I was accepted as a born again Christian, just like them. My struggles were foreign to them, but not beyond that which our God can forgive and repair. Wow. I could not have anticipated better.

And further, we were able to talk about real life now. Grown women and their needs for conversation and sharing and communion together. I was encouraged to find some other Christian women, not condemned, encouraged. I know that when I share my experiences as I journey this path, I will be encouraged by these friends. I am encouraged already. I have friends, long distance though they be, they do care about he real me and they want me to succeed as a Christian, as a woman, as an Overcomer. Wow. Sometimes, I am surprised by the human factor. God is good. Talk to you later sisters!