Friend

It's Friday and that means Five Minutes of free flow, as-it-comes writing, from the heart, on a given topic.

Today's prompt is 'Friend'

Start...

Friend

"What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear" ~ Joseph M. Scriven hymn (1855) Click on this link to hear 

Faithful Reliable Incarnate Eternal Near Dependable

You stick closer than a brother or sister.

The only One who has ever held my whole heart.

There right from the beginning.

Your love drew me like moth to flame.

Acceptance melted my reserve.

Welcome warmed a chilled child's heart.

Always giving.

Always loving.

Always there for me.

Drew me out of swamp pit dwelling to reside by Your side.

My darkest valley Companion.

Truest viewer of my faults, flaws and failings, yet You love me still.

Unchanging.

Desire the highest good, support and enable me to live fully and freely, true to how I was created to be.

I've pulled shyly from close friendships, even turned comma-like away from loved ones in attempt to hide my shame and pain.

You alone give me courage to be fully myself, to tell my story, share hopes, fears and dreams, reach out again.

I am the wayward wanderer, You never leave nor forsake.

Your grace daily manna for my soul.

I love you, Lord.

Abide with me and teach me how to abide with You

and let Peace and Joy become familiar friends too.

For You never let me down and never will.

Thank you.

Amen.

Stop.

"You are my friends when you do the things I command you. I'm no longer calling you servants because servants don't understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I've named you friends because I've let you in on everything I've heard from the Father" ~ John 15:14 - 15

Linking here with Lisa-Jo Baker for Five Minute Friday. Do hop over and join in the fun.

To stay in touch you can join me on Google Friend Connect, follow on Twitter or like my Facebook page

Going solo?

The waters are choppy. I'm holding on for all I'm worth. One woman pitted against the buffeting winds and rising waves.

Not sailing as you might know it.
But attempting to keep this vessel afloat in stormy seas.

The tides of life and waters of adversity are trying to steer me off course.

 Others are alongside me in the battle to stay afloat. But I am managing this part solo. 

Apart from the wind of the Holy Spirit

The whispering voice through the weariness of a long-distance voyage

The Captain of the ship

The Helmsman

The Anchor

You see, this week's God-sized Dream challenge was to find ourselves a buddy. To team up with a friend to come on board to offer prayer, support and encouragement in pursuit of our dream. 

This friend could come from our regular, everyday lives or be an on-line companion. The idea being to write a post about who you have chosen and why.

Which left me in rather a dilemma.

Strangely, this is a dream I've shared openly on a public platform with people who don't really know me, yet lacked the courage to discuss with those who do

I have very few close Christian friends who I could call upon at short notice for this task. Many are just too hard-pressed and busy for me to want to bother them, or simply not available.

I realise I haven't opened up and shared as I could have done. 

My dream stayed locked up.

Perhaps this fragile, germinating seed of a dream might wilt or wither under the potential blaze of bewilderment, chill of indifference or heat of rejection from those whose opinion means so much to me?

Issues of trust and insecurity can be paralysing and stop us from moving forward

The hermit-like, housebound existence I have as an M.E and chronic illness sufferer can mean long periods without seeing another soul apart from my husband.

It is all too easy for friends to lose touch, drift apart, be separated by distance as well as time - despite the numerous ways we have to stay connected.

After making a few tentative enquiries that came to nothing, and praying about what to do, I began to see that I do indeed have a friend accompanying me on this journey.

This Friend is always with me

He planted this dream within my heart

He will nurture the seedling of promise and cause it to become a strong plant

With This Friend by my side I have no need to fear

I am covered in prayer

I am protected from harm
                                                                                                          
Supported. Encouraged. Loved.

After all, He created me, knows me inside out and cares deeply for me.

This could be a time to trust in the fact that God Himself is partnering with me and may want me to simply rest in and rely on Him for the time being.

In fact, God is partnering with all of us who invite Him in to our everyday lives, hopes and dreams, who open the door of their heart and ask Him in. He longs to be in relationship with you too

We also need other people and relationships to enrich our lives, share with, reveal hidden depths and aspects of our characters, offer help, support and encouragement on our journey through life.

I am grateful for those who relate to me that way and still open to the possibility of a friend partnering me for this God-sized dream journey!

In this post I am linking up with Holley Gerth and the rest of the God-sized Dream team. We'd love you to join us and share this journey of exploration, growth and change.

You can also like my page on Facebook or follow me on Twitter

I hope you will keep in touch so we can support and encourage one another in the pursuit of our God-sized dream and the challenges it brings and share our life with God in other ways too.

Stay blessed and encouraged!