Girlfriends Don't Come Easy!
My husband and I moved to Southwest Florida over five years ago not knowing a single soul! Now, something you should know about me is that if there's one thing that gets my motor running, it's being around people, especially girls! Back home, I had all the social interaction I needed between family & friends and then, BAM!, all of a sudden they're all gone and you suddenly feel very insignificant, even "lost" at times. Now mind you, I moved here with a husband and two young children, but you and I both know that girls NEED girlfriends! I was feeling so lonely and nearly depressed that I began to doubt that the Lord even "called" us down here (do you sense an "Eve" moment coming on, "Hath God really said???"). I knew that God had called us but I sure wasn't feeling it! I naively believed that I could just waltz into other peoples' lives/relationships, and act as though I were automatically one of the girls. Well, you and I both know life just doesn't happen that way, especially not with girls. I knew that there were only two choices to make. One, I could continue feeling sorry for myself and "blaming" everyone around me for my loneliness, or two, I could begin to "be a friend" to those the Lord brought into my life and wait for the relationships to blossom.
I can honestly say that I believe I've finally entered a season in my life where not only do I feel loved, but I love loving them back! The group of women that God has brought into my life did not just happen! It has taken, in some cases, years to cultivate these friendships. Times of planting & pruning were necessary as well as a time to nurture these relationships by spending time together in Bible studies and in fellowship (aka Starbucks, lunch & shopping, you know, important girl time!!). I had my share of tears, but I am now at the point where Psalm 126:5 is ringing true in my life, "Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy". Girlfriends, I'm singing a song alright and it's a song of praise to the Lord for the amazing group of women He has surrounded me with!
I've shed my share of tears over this matter of loneliness, but I can look back now and see that the Lord allowed me to go through that difficult season so that when I got on the "other side", I would be better able to understand, encourage and comfort my fellow sisters in Christ with the same comfort that I received. II Corinthians 1:3-4 says, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God."
The choice is up to you!
Lovingly in Jesus,
