Simply Renovated

Friendships are hard...they are sticky...messy but beautiful. 

Here's the thing.  These women are brave.  For showing up to an event and being a part of it when the entire topic revolves around friendship. 

As women we walk through life with measuring sticks.  We feel we aren't good enough to be friends with "this person", we feel unworthy to be invited in.  We feel like a loser.  We compare and measure and that leads to anxiety...little horrible voices in our heads telling us cruel lies about the person God created and those lies can ultimately lead to judgment which then leads to division.  

In putting together songs for this event I wanted to badly focus the last set of songs on the sole fact that our first friend is Jesus. Even in preparing the songs I had many voices in my head.  I had "expectations" to meet among the women coming to the vent.  P.S. I take Pastor Jared's job for granted WAY.TOO.MUCH! 

There was a friend at my table.  She was shouting "AMEN" and jumping in her seat...I thought I was going to have to escort her out but she got it under control ;) ha! But she was saying those things and getting her feathers all ruffled up over comments about having little expectations in our friendships.  

Here's the truth ladies.  No one can make you as unsure about yourself as yourself.  It's true.  We have expectations...they have expectations.  But what if we took one more brave step further and dropped all expectations.  What if we allowed ONLY Jesus to fulfill all of those expectations we are unfairly placing on our earthly friends? What if we look at our sister in Christ and ask only ONE thing of her...DO YOU LOVE JESUS? 

We will fail each other.  We will hurt each other.  We will leave each other a little empty.  But Jesus will never fail you.  Jesus will comfort you and bring you peace.  Jesus will fill you.  

What if we decide to drop all expectations of each other.  What if we made a choice to look at our friends and sisters in Christ as just that...a daughter of the ONE.TRUE.KING...truly loved by God...we would change the definition of friendship as we now know it.  Because a friendship that isn't centered on Christ...isn't going to work.  But when it's solely and completely focused on the ONE WHO DESIGNED US FOR FRIENDSHIP...we are fulfilled in amazing and indescribable ways and those girl friends...fantastic extra blessings! 

We are designed for friendship.  That doesn't mean you are friends with EVERY ONE...but that does mean community and unity among women in the church and by unity I do not mean sameness but oneness in purpose and what is that purpose? To LOVE each other and glorify God in ALL WE DO!