Saturday, December 31, 2005

I needed new friends

Back in March of this year I attended a Women's retreat that I did not want to go to. Honestly, the only reason I was going was because I had to. I was asked to sing and said yes, so I had to! The weekend was a rough one for me for many reasons but one being that I did not care to connect with the Lord and especially did not want to connect with other women. But that weekend, there were two blonde girls sitting on the front row that kept my attention. They looked to be about my age and for some reason without even talking to them, I felt like they were like me. The whole weekend I noticed how they laughed, giggled, whispered, and had fun just being there. At one point I remember thinking, "I want to be friends with people like that." It wasn't that I did not have friends at that point, it was just something about those two girls that stuck with me. I was in a funk and they gave me hope without them even knowing it. Their laughs, their faces, their spirit, they stuck with me.

As I have said many times before, this move to the new house, was rough. I am sure you can tell by the blog comments that I have some awesome friends in my life that encourage me and build me up. Well, most of the ones you see that comment on my blog live about forty miles away. I know it's not that far but when you quit going to the same church and you move, your friendships can't operate at the same level that they were. Which explains the loneliness I have felt since moving here. Looking for a church has been dreadful to say the least so when you can't find a church, it's hard to find friends. I have needed to find those girls that I saw back in March at that retreat I went to. Their laughs, their faces, their spirit, they stuck with me. So as I prayed to find friends, God continued to give me a vision of those two girls sitting on the front row at the retreat. I never thought anything about it. I just thought since I was praying asking for friends that God gave me a picture to think about while praying. The picture? Those two girls! Every single time I prayed about God sending me new friends, the two girls came to my mind. Once again, their laughs, their faces, their spirit, they stuck with me. So, I kept praying, "God send me friends like that!"

If you ever wonder whether God really cares about the details in your life, don't wonder. He does! Finally, after living here for five months, we have a church home. With our new home, came a new church. With our new church, came new friends. Those kind of friends that I prayed for. Not only were they what I prayed for but they were the ones that came to my mind while praying. The two blonde girls on the front row! Their laughs, their faces, their spirit, they stuck with me and now they are stuck with me. God kept giving me that vision when I prayed for friends on purpose. That way, I knew they were in my life on purpose. So that retreat that I did not want to go to, well I now go to church with all of those ladies I was not interested in meeting. Never in a million years would I have guessed that someday I would go to that church. At the time, I lived on the other side of the world but now I am twelve miles away. Funny how God works? No, that's what He does. He orchestrates every single detail of our lives. Your laugh, your face, your spirit, they stick with Him and He longs to bless every detail of your life. He cares about everything you do, He takes you to every place you go and He has given you every friend you have.

Thank you Lord for my new friends. I have needed them!

9 comments:

Sonya Terrell said...

Amanda, I'm so happy you have found new friends!!!! We NEED girlfriends!

I'm glad you still consider us Frisco/Little Elm girls your friends, because we think the same of you. No forty miles are going to come between us!

Minnie said...

YAHOO!!! That is SO AWESOME! I know you have been struggling with this for so long and I am so excited that you have finally found a place that you fit in and have found some girlfriends!!!

Love ya!
~Min

Anonymous said...

It is different when we pick up and move our lives, even if it is just a few miles away...God is going to continue to bless you there in Bedford, He has proven to show Himself to you in ways you were so hungry for. It is very cool when God brings new people into our lives who we instantly connect with...I seem to remember another friendship that started out like that....!!!

Anonymous said...

What a privilege and honor it is to be your new friend. God has shown me so much with you and you’re such a blessing! Isn’t God good…he gave me you!! I love you, Amanda!
God bless you!

Anonymous said...

Isn't God good? It never fails to amaze me that He has things worked out down to the littlest detail. He knew that we needed each other and worked it out to perfection. I would have never known that you were in a funk that weekend, all I saw was someone who had great strength and who I admired for that strength. You and Jeremy have been so great to be around and we are really enjoying hanging out with you. You are "amazing" (hehe get it?) Love you Sister

Anonymous said...

Well, I think God is really good. See, I prayed that y'all would be friends a long time before y'all knew you WANTED to be friends. God always hears the cry of a mother's hearts. Keep praying for your babies!!!!!!!!!! From the MOM

Christy said...

Amanda, please pray for me in this area because I too know I NEED friends. I am blessed with some who are wonderful Christians but then I have some who I know are aquaintances because there is not a kindred spirit. I was just talking to my husband, Jeremy about this two evenings ago. My heart aches to have fellowship with people who love the Lord. I get weak some times from conversations of Blah, Blah, Blah and I feel I empty out so much and need some times to be filled. I hope that makes sense. I lean on God for spiritual filling but as a 'girl' I need girlfriends. :0) Thank you for your post -- once again!

This is Patti said...

Isn't it awesome to realize we impact other people's lives, sometimes without ever knowing it?

Anonymous said...

I agree! It is totally amazing when you meet someone for the first time, but your heart has known them forever. Call it kindred spirits, call in coincidence, I like to call it the hand of God. God knows our every need and is faithful to come through.