I have to open this e-mail reminding everyone to please take a few moments to pray for Scott and Edith. Your prayers will mean the world to them and to me!!!
I want to share a story with you about the first true friendship I experienced in my life. I am blessed to have a lot of friends, and I am so very thankful for each and every one. I truly believe, with all of my heart, that my friendship with this person allowed me to learn how to be friends with others. I hate to admit this, but I was in college before I learned to trust another person with the deepest part of me. This journey in my life began the day my parents dropped me off at Appalachian State University. It was in August, and the dorm was filled with the excitement of new students moving in. I, on the other hand, was having a very difficult time with the idea of moving away from home. I didn't know anyone that moved into my dorm that day. When my parents left, I sat in the middle of my floor not knowing what to do next. Then, I decided to stroll over to the next dorm over to see if I could find a friendly face. I not only found a friendly face, that moment began a friendship that has been going strong for more than 15 years. I met Jennifer McClure that day, and she began to show me what true friendship was like. She embraced me from the moment we met, and she showered me with generosity and love. She invited me to come home with her on the weekends, and I soon found out where she learned to love so much. Her parents quickly took me in, and began to love me as one of their own. Jen and I ate together, we walked to classes together, we spent every weekend together and we loved taking afternoon naps at the same time!!!! Add that with our passion for an ice cold coke, and it was a match made in heaven. Years passed, and our friendship only grew stronger. We shared so many things, especially our hearts. Over time, I began to know how great it could feel to really trust someone with the deepest part of you. I realized that friends accept you for the good and the bad. They not only accept you, but they love you even more when the bad has passed by. There is not a time in my life when Jen has not dropped everything to be by my side when I needed her. She lives about 1 1/2 hours away, but when I really need her, she is here in an hour. Our lives are very different now. We both stay very busy with the things that constantly pull for our attention. There have been times when we have gone way to long without speaking. There have been times when we have been able to speak every day. But, NEVER has it crossed my mind that our friendship was ever in jeopardy. I know, with each passing day, that she is there for me. I pray that she knows the same things. Thanks to Jennifer, I learned how to have a friend, and I learned how to be a friend. I base all of my friendships on the principles that she taught me. Forever, I will love her for that!!
Today's Treasure:
"Show me unfailing kindness like that of the Lord as long as I live, so that I may not be killed, and do not ever cut off your kindness from my family - not even when the Lord has cut off every one of David's enemies from the face of the earth" (1 Samuel 20: 14 - 15)
Read 1 Samuel 20: 1 - 42
Why did David flee to Jonathan?
To find out what he had done to deserve death and make Jonathan aware of Saul's plans
Jonathan did not believe that his father was going to kill David. He did intend to tell Saul that David went to Bethlehem to an annual celebration. Jonathan pledged to let David know if his father planned to harm him. Jonathan would his arrows by the stone Ezel to let David know Saul's response. If he told the boy that the arrows went beyond him, David would know his father did intend to kill him.
When Jonathan let David know of Saul's plans to kill him, David bowed before Jonathan 3 times. They wept (David weeping more), and they departed in peace and friendship.
I believe David wept more because of Jonathan's undying love and commitment to him and out of fear for his life. I am sure it destroyed him to leave Jonathan.
As Beth explains in the next segment, Jonathan and David made a covenant with one another before God. Not only did they make this covenant, but they kept it. That is when you truly know that a friendship is real. The Bible clearly says that David and Jonathan were knit together in one spirit. They were able to share raw, deep emotions. In these verses, their conversation became very heated and passionate. David was in a panic, and Jonathan recognized that he needed to be listened to. They were able to move forward from the anger to work towards a resolution to keep their friendship in tact.
When people focus their frustrations on me and hold me responsible I do tend to get a little defensive, but I also allow the person to blow off their steam. My mom tends to be the one to let me off the hook when I center my frustrations on her. She listens patiently and loves me through it.
Do you sometimes struggle with the appropriate response when someone in very emotional with you?
For me, it depends on the situation. If I feel someone is being unreasonable, I struggle with the patience that I need in those situations. But, if I know that someone really needs me, I try hard to listen and be there for them.
I do have several friends that I feel safe sharing my heart with. I am blessed. Wow!!! Do you realize that I feel safe sharing my heart with all of you? Who could ask for more?
Read Ecclesiastes 4: 9 - 12
What is God's part in Jonathan and David's friendship, according to verse 12?
God is the chord between Jonathan and David. They cannot be torn apart because they share this chord
Do you have three strand friendship? Yes
Carol Ratliff is someone that I cherish sharing my faith with. She is always so faithful, and I admire her wonderful commitment to the Lord. She and I really like to have discussions based on our faith and our day to day lives. We like to bounce things off of each other, and we love helping each other work through what we feel God wants us to do.
I also have great spiritual mentors in my life. That is a must for everyone seeking the Word of the Lord. Find people that can mentor you. I have been blessed to have amazing people that love me and support me. I have shared how they lift me up. I encourage everyone to pray diligently to find someone to be this in your life (if you don't already have someone). God will provide someone for you. When you find these people, remind them constantly of what they mean to you. You will grow so close to God through these friendships. Sandy Broome, Lisa Johnson and Laurie Moore have all been very inspirational women to me.
I love you all so very much
Tiffany Pate
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