A Joyous Christmas!

Be sure to take time over this Christmas season to sit at the feet of Jesus and ponder the wonder and majesty of our Savior's birth. God sent His Son into the world not to condemn the world but to save the world through Him. May you discover wonder anew as you remember the One who came to make all things new!

Blessings from the Women Alive Bloggers!

Is My Environment Conducive to Productivity? - Part 2

Continued from last week's post...

"Being raised in such an environment would certainly make it far more credible for a person to conceive of himself as a person of destiny," Jack Hayford mused aloud that thought while overlooking Blenheim Palace, the birthplace and home of Winston Churchill. The grand, the regal and the noble captured his imagination and while driving from that special place, he asked his wife Anna to write the words as they came to him. "Majesty, worship His majesty, unto Jesus be all glory honour and praise." In that environment the well loved song was birthed.
Hayford wrote in his book Worship His Majesty, "I don't mean that buildings and beauty can beget greatness, but I do feel that some people fail to perceive their possibilities because of their dismal surroundings."

Do you agree with Hayford's statement? If so, what could you do this week to enhance your environment?

Hayford states that the song Worship His Majesty was refined and edited at the piano but it was "born in a moment of envisioning the power of the majestic to transform a people and infuse them with a sense of significance and destiny."

How about envisioning the majestic in your life right now? Watch for the transformation as you meditate on what is yours as a child of God.

Is My Environment Conducive to Productivity? - Part 1

As I sat down to write today, I had a look around my office. Just above my file cabinet is a beautiful needlepoint design of Isaiah 40:31 carefully stitched by a special friend."Those that hope in the Lord will renew their strength..." On the cabinet itself are some artefacts from Israel, prompting memories of the trip of a lifetime. Behind me are my books, each a contributor to my learning or sheer pleasure. On the top shelf in brushed bronze is the word IMAGINE. Beside the bookshelf is a large numbered painting by Lee Harvey called Unto the Least of These. Every wall houses something to encourage, uplift or trigger pondering thoughts.
I'm surrounded by creativity. In this environment, I'm stimulated to pour out my heart and give my very best. (On most days!)

Take a look around your workspace? Is it conducive to productivity?

Share with us what you do to create an atmosphere of stimulation in your work area.

A Squash or an Oak: Which would you rather be?

Continued from last week....

As there are stages in growing a flower, so there are stages in leadership development. Lessons must be learned that will “grow” you as you move from one stage to another. In each stage you will come to understand who you are as a leader and discover more and more of your gifts and gift-mixes. You will need to develop key leadership characteristics that are vital to growth just as a flower must weather adverse conditions to fully grow and bloom.

In leadership, the inner growth of a leader is much more important than the visible signs of a developing idea. Inner growth has to do with self discovery and God discovery. As you ‘weather’ challenges and changes, you will have a growing understanding of who you are and greater understand who God is. That vital root system, based on relationship, is critical to life-time growth and development.

A leadership professor once asked his students: “Which would you rather be: a squash or an oak?”

The question confused students. They didn’t understand the connection to leadership.
“A squash,” he explained, “grows quickly from a seed, weathers the summer, but dies in inclement winter weather because it has no root system. An oak, on the other hand, withstands every storm and all weather patterns because of its root system. It is deeply embedded in the earth.”

So, get ready, my friend. Take the first step….you are a leader in the making. Just remember to build a strong root system with Christ as your foundation.

~ Margaret

The Idea Seed

“So, you want to be a leader?” was my next question to a young woman who sought me out to tell me her ideas and plans for her future. She had passion and energy. I liked her zip. Ideas naturally flowed out of her. Her ideas were workable and wonderful and would benefit society.

“I’m not sure that I am a leader,” was her response to my question.

“But all ideas and plans require leadership or they go nowhere. To act on your plans will require you to lead and take action and will force you into a new world of inner development.”

I suggested that we sit down and talk awhile. I wanted to give her a visual of the synergy between an idea and leadership.

“Ideas are like a blossoming flower. You have articulated well the ‘full picture’ of your idea. But like every flower started as a seed, your idea at this point is a seed.

A seed is planted in the ground and its life-producing capability must break through a protective shell to begin the growing process. The process includes moving through soil – sometimes stubborn soil – to break the surface of the ground. Then comes the visible picture: first the shoot, then the stalk, then a bud and finally the flower.

Your idea is still a seed lodged within you. Even though you see the full blossoming stage, you must now take steps to burst your idea from the seed stage. The protective shell around your idea may be fear, or lack of confidence, or even your inability to see yourself as a leader. Every protective shell must be broken and you do so by taking steps – small steps. Ask yourself questions like: ‘What is the first thing I need to do?’ It may be a small thing like calling a friend and asking for advice. Do it, because it could be a pivotal step in breaking the ground surface of your idea. Then, ask yourself, ‘What is the second and third thing I need to do?’ You must move the process along taking whatever small steps are needed to go forward.

To be continued...

Career Changes: What am I doing here?

I’m writing this blog as I sit in the Hong Kong airport waiting for a connecting flight to take me home from a conference in Bangkok, Thailand. Looking out of the windows at the mountains surrounding this amazing city, I ask myself, “What am I doing here? How did I arrive at this particular time and place in my life?”

You could say it was because of a series of career changes – well – not exactly ‘career changes’ but changes of direction in my career. These changes seemed to unfold progressively and often quickly. I would just begin to feel comfortable and confident in the work I was doing, when a new challenge presented itself – complete with a big risk and always requiring a huge leap of faith.
“Should I take it? Could I do it? Was I equipped to meet the new demands? What about all the new relationships?” There were so many questions. Doubts on the one hand and feelings of excitement and anticipation on the other.

After much prayer and listening to the counsel of trusted friends, I found guidance and courage to say “Yes” to new opportunities. These transitions were times of growth and development in my life, and provided enlargement and expansion of the vision for the work God had called me to do. I found absolute joy as I learned to depend on God for each new challenge.

How about you? Will you share with us how you have handled the career changes in your life? How did they affect you? I’ll be watching for your answer.

Until then, blessings,
Eileen

Wholeness: Body, Mind & Spirit

Over the last few weeks we’ve been looking at the topic of health. And just today, I remembered an interesting quote from a seminar that I facilitate on “Life Balance”. It echoes what Ruth has been discussing about this topic– the concept that health involves body, mind & spirit. (See recent blog entries)

“We [in the Western world] invented the notion that “biology” and “physics” and “psychology” and “psychiatry” are separate. If we want to deal with health, and we’re looking only at the chemistry or the emotional state, we have an imperfect glimpse. The patient sitting before me brings with him or her not only chemistry, but also family, relationships, emotions and character. The distinctions we bring to a hospital in terms of mind and body are abstractions that we make. The patient is still a whole person, and to help him or her get better, ideally we would deal with all of these aspects – the balance of a person’s life.” Dr. David Eisenberg – a Chinese trained physician.

Sometimes I get the sense that the concept of wholeness – that we are mind, body and spirit and that each aspect affects the other - is something that we may understand intellectually, but not practically. It reminds me of the apostle Pauls’ honest confession, “I don't understand why I act the way I do. I don't do what I know is right.”

Can we afford to be this way when it comes to our health?

I’d love to hear your thoughts.

~ Wendy

Having A Healthy Attitude

What’s the first thing you think about when you hear the word, “health”? My mind immediately jumps to food (but we’ll save that for another discussion). I picture fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, REAL food…you know, the kind your grandmother told you to eat. But other things at the top of the list might include exercise, vitamins, supplements, perhaps even getting enough sleep or simply the absence of sickness or disease. All of these things are aspects of our overall health and we would do well to give them proper attention.

But there’s another aspect of health that is definitely recognized, but doesn’t always share the limelight with the list above. (I was going to tell you what it is…but just keep reading) You’re probably familiar with the expression “you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone”. Well this has been a powerful lesson to me in several circumstances of my life including sickness. Personally, my most dreaded ‘run of the mill’ illness is the stomach flu. I am the biggest wimp imaginable when it comes to nausea. I’m pathetic, really! But the upside of having it (I can’t believe I’m actually claiming there is an upside to the stomach flu) is that when the nausea finally passes, I am reminded how good it is to feel good! I am thankful beyond measure. I could practically break into the Hallelujah chorus right there in my housecoat.

So, I try to lock it in – the attitude of gratitude – so that I will never again take my well-being for granted. I am reminded, however, that I am to “give thanks in ALL circumstances”. So, I guess I’ve got some work to do. I need to adopt the “attitude of gratitude” all the time, not just when I’m feeling 100%. The interesting part though, is that a positive, thankful attitude actually promotes well-being – another key to good health. Thoughts of gratitude reduce our stress and bring us into a better mental space. There’s a real link between the way we think and the way we feel. The wisdom of Proverbs points out that “A merry heart doeth good like medicine”. And it sure tastes better than Buckleys!

~ Wendy

Soul Food

The checklist continues to our last consideration toward optimal well being: our spiritual life.

Spiritual
Do I make time each day to feed my soul? Am I starving for something deeper, richer and more satisfying?

I've discovered in the summer when I'm not in a routine of regular Bible study, I often feel listless, restless with no sense of direction. An hour walk, while reciting a few Bible verses inspires me, helps to get me back on track. The disciplines of prayer, fasting, Bible study, memorizing and meditating are essentials to a healthy spiritual life but many of these great exercises have been forgotten. Once applied, however, their results won't be.

How about adding just one of the above to your daily routine for this month? (it only takes twenty-one days to develop a habit) Then add another until you are filled up and overflowing in your spirit.

Looking after our bodies is not a new thought but is expressed in scripture in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NAS, "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not you own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body."

As we bring our talk on health to a close, remember the three 'T's': Toned, Tough and Triumphant.
TONED physically,
TOUGH mentally,
and
TRIUMPHANT spiritually

Now how about taking a few minutes to talk to me about your health? I'd love to engage in a conversation where we can learn from and encourage one another as we embark on this journey of quality living.

Thinking on the Right Things

Now that we feel a little better physically (see last week's blog post), let's move on to the mind.

Mental
~ Have I read a good book lately?
~ Or taken a new course to keep my mind alert?
~ Am I thinking on the right things? (Philippians 4:8 Let your mind dwell on these things: whatever is true, honourable, right, pure, lovely, excellent, worthy of praise- wow! That's a lot of good thinking).

Although I'd never consider drinking chemicals, when I dwell on negative thoughts (called “stinkin' thinkin'” by Zig Ziglar), I'm poisoning my mind. That can lead to depression, sleeplessness and subsequently fatigue. In our computer age, we know “garbage in, garbage out”. GIGO. The opposite is also true. Positive thoughts in, positives out. PIPO

Let me know what keeps your mind active.

Is it Sudoku, crossword puzzles or something else?
How do you maintain a positive attitude?

Talk to me and share your ideas.

Enjoy the fresh air of fall!

Jim Rohn states." Take care of your body. It's the only place you have to live." What a great proactive statement reminding us of the importance of looking after ourselves. As women, we love to make sure everyone else is looked after. However, if you are like many people, including me, sometimes our health doesn't get any attention until we are in a crisis. So as summer leaves and autumn comes, let's spend some time thinking about our health.


To get started, let's answer these questions:

Considering your own health, what comes to mind?
a) an energetic, vibrant woman enjoying life
OR
b) a woman inflicted with headaches, stiff muscles, allergies and fatigue?

Considering all aspects of health...body, mind and spirit,
a) is one area more important to you than the other
OR
b) have you found a balance of the three? If so, how have you accomplished this? (I'd like to hear from you)

Since we are made up of body, mind and spirit, in order to achieve optimal health, all three areas need our attention. During our time together over the next few weeks, let's look briefly at each of the three parts of our health and answer a few more questions.

Physical
~ Am I eating healthy foods that will energize and sustain? Could I cut down on sugars and caffeine? Don't tell anyone (Shhh) but I'm a binge eater so I really need to work on this area. When I do, I feel so much better.

~ Do I get enough exercise and fresh air? I've walked for years and love it. However, a few years ago my sister challenged me to "run", having started her running later in life. Reluctant at first, but wanting to keep up with her new adventure, I began. Walk half a block, run (okay... it was a slow jog) half a block. Little by little, increasing, oh so minimally, until on October 13th, 2007, I ran (jogged) my first 5km and raised nearly $1200 for Haitian orphans. What a great sense of accomplishment! Walking is great but if you need a little extra, why not lace up your runners and go for a RUN? Or if running sounds too ambitious, what about walking a little faster or longer, swimming, skating or skiing?

Let us know what works for you to keep in shape!

**Please note- I checked with my doctor, had a heart echo and purchased high quality runners before starting to run.

Lord, You Know My Heart

The onset of fall tends to bring a rush of activity. Activities, practices, small groups, and the like all swing into full gear come September. It can be difficult to find time to spend with God. Indeed, as women we must make time....and sometimes that means scheduling it in on the calendar.

The past week was even busier than normal and I was feeling mentally drained. My usual time with the Lord had been getting cut short and my attitude reflected it. I knew an intervention was needed immediately.

So last night, I purposefully set aside two hours to spend with Jesus and rest in His presence. I prayed He would refresh my weary soul and bring restoration. I poured out my heart in repentance for the sin that had tarnished my reflection of Him.

Then, completely unexpectedly, He used the first line of a song I had never heard before to penetrate my heart. The opening lyrics? “You know my heart…”

Hearing those words – the specific prayer that has become like breath to me for over a year, “Lord, You know my heart” – I fell to my knees with tears streaming down my face in thankfulness to my wonderful, powerful, beautiful Redeemer.

He knows my heart. He knows my weaknesses, strengths, joy, and fears. He knows when I’ve tried to take things into my own hands, and the times when I’ve let go and trusted His arms to carry me.

Make time today to rest and be refreshed by His Living Water. He knows your heart too, dear sister!

Acts 3:19 “The times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.”

Goal Setting: One Step at a Time

One of the most important questions I have ever been asked is, “What did you do this week to move towards what God is calling you to do?”

It’s a question that requires reflection and honesty.
Our dreams and God-given goals can often seem unattainable. That’s when you know it’s God – because without His strength, they would be impossible. It’s humbling, exciting, and terrifying all at the same time! We need to seek God’s direction for how we can be developing our gifts and serving Him right where we are, today.

Personal growth happens when we daily put one foot in front of the other, following where God is leading.

If God has given you a heart for the elderly, contact a local long-term care facility and ask about volunteer possibilities. Pick up the phone; don’t wait for someone to call you. Have a passion for photography that captures the beauty of God’s creation? Start honing your craft by taking classes at a local art gallery or college. Dream of being a wife and mom, but a husband has yet to enter the picture? Offer to spend an hour a week helping a neighbour mom prepare a meal or take care of her children for hands-on training.

Set goals to keep track of your progress and start a prayer journal to record how you see God at work along the way.

Tell us!

• What are you dreams?



• What will you do this week to move towards what God is calling you to do?

Can't wait to hear from you!
Michelle

Are you growing?

As a new grandmother, I am amazed as I watch the growth of this new little person. Everytime I see him, he has grown and expanded in wonderful ways. His physical growth continues according to a deep, physioligical calendar. And it has caused me to wonder, what about personal growth?

For many years, I was privileged to be a part of an international organization that valued personal growth, and it has become a habit of my life to consider my mental, physical, social and spiritual growth. Every year I had goals in each of these areas. But recently, as I have experienced a family crisis, I have begun to think of these areas of growth in new ways. As I have been faced with unexpected disasters, I began to ask God for direction in pursuing areas of personal growth. While I was still reeling from the emotional effects of our current family situation, I began to look for resources to help me navigate this new and uncharted path of my life. I joined a Bible study with other women who were recovering from various personal traumas. Our weekly meetings were like gold to me as we had mined the truth of Scripture and shared how we applied these truths to our new path of life. We shared what we had read and of the help we had received. We talked about relationships, our thoughts, our reactions and our victories along the way, as well as many failures. We learned to give ourselves grace as we were tempted to want to apply everything at once. We developed deep social and spiritual connections that have given us support in our journeys.

How is your personal growth? Do you have friends who are committed to help you on your journey? Have you recently experienced a personal crisis, and how has your personal growth been affected by your situation, and by your supportive friends? What have you been reading that has contributed to your personal growth?

I am looking forward to hearing from you,

Warmly,
Darla

Recreation = Recreating

Oxford dictionary defines recreation as a 'means of recreating oneself, pleasurable exercise or employment.' That seems to indicate that our work could actually have an element of recreation.

Have you found that to be true?

What do you think of the following quote?
U.S. novelist James A. Mitchener states:
"The master in the art of living makes little distinction between his work and his play, his labour and his leisure...his information and his recreation. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence at whatever he does, leaving others to decide whether he is working or playing. To him, he is always doing both."

Spontaneous Fun: Postpone the "To Do List"!

The ringing of the phone broke the silence of the quiet summer evening. As I answered, I was pleasantly surprised by my sister's cheerful voice inviting me to spend a couple days at her cottage.

Usually a visit there meant lots of people, lots of cooking and tons of noise. But her request meant just the two of us. Ah! Dreaming of the beauty that would surround me, giving me a quiet spot to relax, to read with no phones, dirty fingers or laundry, excited me. Quickly my excitement waned as I remembered my "to do" list. It included defrosting the deep freeze, thoroughly scrubbing the ceramic tiles which had been neglected for too long, answering speaking requests as well as writing assignments due later that week.

What a decision...the water in the lake or the water in the scrub pail? What would your choice be?

It's been said that "all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." Now I don't want to be 'dull' so I chose the lake water, beautiful Lake Muskoka. Grabbing a few essentials (toothbrush and bathing suit), I set out for the three hour drive. On arrival, it only took minutes for hugs, then a sprint to the waters' edge. The calming effect of water sparkling like diamonds, the soft breezes creating unending ripples, and the bluest sky I'd seen in months, all convinced me that I had made the right decision.

Since we can't always go to a cottage, how do you incorporate recreation into your day? A break from the routine can inspire new ideas and energy.

What are some ideas you have used to have fun with your family?

Share with us your thoughts and ideas about the importance of Fun and Recreation throughout the year.

Whatever happened to fun?

What happens to fun as we grow up?

Having lived in a family filled with fun and laughter, I expected it to just remain an integral part of my life. In my early career years, I loved my work and had many friends who loved fun as much as I did. Living with 4 roommates in a home, we added fun to our everyday lives. Every weekend there were invitations to go skiing (living 1 hour away from Banff made this irresistible), potluck dinner parties with inventive themes, movie nights, and the hard-to-resist shopping marathons. As a new wife, I recall fun times being a natural ingredient in our marriage - lots of laughter and light-hearted moments.

When the children were young it was my dream 'job', celebrating life and laughter with these little enjoyable ones. Every day was an adventure.

I first noticed fun leaking out of our lives a few years later, as parental responsibilities became more challenging, and the stresses of life began pressing in. It happened without me noticing, until the day I heard my psychologist friend say, “The number one need of business and professional women is fun.” That just stopped me in my tracks. (and I happen to believe that it's the #1 need of all women). As I reflected on my friend's statement, I came to believe it was true of me. I agreed with her that I had been trying to nurture everyone else in my life, without nurturing myself. I had indeed depleted my resources, and there was precious little energy left, and no fun.
I began to resolutely put fun back into my life, and that of my family's.

When our daughter was going through a rough time, I promised to put so much fun into our lives that I hoped 'she wouldn't be able to stand it'! She started horseback riding lessons, and as I watched from outside the paddock, I observed her build a unique and special rapport with her horse. It was magic to watch her, and it added to her self esteem as well as adding fun to her days. We started going to a craft class in our small town, where we would spend an hour or 2 being taught a craft and walking out with the finished product. Soon the craft table was filled with women and their daughters (many of whom were friends we had recruited) We reinstated family nights for silly games and funny movies. We began camping together...certainly more fun for the kids, but I was game.

I also invited a group of women to a lunch one day. They were acquaintances from our church who I never had the time to get to know. We began a monthly lunch group at each others' homes, and called it 'The Fun Lunch Group.' It nurtured us every month - many laughs, and some tears as we grew very close and shared the ups and downs of life.

My older brother and I share jokes by email - he lives far away and I only see him once each year, but these laughs keep us close. My Mom and I also share a great sense of humour. We took a trip to Italy together and expected to have fun, but we turned into Lucy and Ethel, with a new and funny adventure every day.

Is there fun in your daily life? What things are fun for you?
I wonder if this is partly a generational issue - my 20 something daughter seems to have a lot of fun with little effort - is it easier for women under 40?
Are you able to take time out for things you think of as fun without feeling guilty?

Please let me hear from you - I speak to women of all ages, and would love to hear your comments.

Yours in Fun,
Darla

Women need fun!

A psychologist friend of mine told me that the top need of women today is fun. Does that surprise you? Apparently, as women, we are very good at nurturing everyone else at our expense. Are you working hard to put fun into your life this summer?

Do you build personal time into your summer schedule? How is it working for you?

Enjoy your summer!
Darla

How are you investing?

In a couple weeks I will celebrate my 20^th wedding anniversary.

I don’t feel old enough and I certainly don’t look old enough (at least that’s what I tell myself to feel better LOL).

When I stop to look back over the last 20 years I see an incredible ride. If you put it on a flow-chart, it might resemble the New York Stock Exchange. There have certainly been some high times, some low times and some in-between times. And not necessarily when I might have expected them. Sometimes a crisis brought us closer together and times of smooth sailing had us drifting apart …following our own direction and interests.

So, as we approach this milestone, I ask myself “To what can we attribute our success?”

Hmmm. Good question. I don’t necessarily have an easy answer. But, when I go back to the “flow chart” analogy, I remember that marriage really is an investment. And, like many of the riskier investments that bring a large return, an investment in marriage is a long-term investment. It’s true that there have been times when I’ve wondered about my decision. …times when the bottom seemed to be dropping out and the temptation was to “sell now…sell now …get out with what I can”. (OK…that sounds a bit more dramatic than I meant it, but it works with the analogy – don’t you think?) I’ve learned though, that the valley times, the times when the balance is lowest, provide an opportunity – an opportunity to invest even more…to make deposits and build up what’s left. And in my experience, when two people invest themselves in a marriage relationship (not just their petty cash), the return on investment is significant.

So today, I’m grateful as I look on my figurative flow-chart and realize that if I were to draw a line through the center of the peaks and valleys, I would see a gradual upward climb. It’s been a solid investment and I don’t regret my decision -- and the dividends ain’t bad either!

So, how are you investing in your marriage?

I'm not like that...am I?

Not too long ago, I was utilizing the services of a life coach. (Just because I am one, doesn’t mean I can’t use some help now and then sorting out my own “stuff”.) She has amazing insight and was often able to put her finger right on something that needed attention. On one of our calls, I was voicing my frustrations around the fact that my husband, Kevin, wasn’t picking up after himself. (I’m sure no one can relate to that one!) Once I finished venting, she asked me, “So, how are you like that?”

“I’m not!” I adamantly replied. “I don’t leave my stuff all over the place. I am not like that and that is why it drives me crazy.”

She patiently listened to my defensive reply and then went on to explain that often the things that trigger our frustrations are traits that we don’t like about ourselves. While I usually valued her ideas and opinions, I knew she had to be dead wrong on this one. But I decided not to argue and we moved on to other things. But, even after the call -- in fact, over the next several days -- the question didn’t move on. It rang over and over in my mind. How am I like that? How am I like that? Like what? I don’t leave my socks on the floor….that’s just inconsiderate. Wait…inconsiderate. How am I inconsiderate? Bingo. That’s it! Sometimes I am inconsiderate. Sometimes I don’t return phone calls right away. Sometimes I forget to return borrowed items. Sometimes I say I will submit by Blog entry by Friday and then don’t send it until Monday. Yikes….I AM inconsiderate!

So, like a dog with its tail between its legs, I admitted to my coach (and more importantly to myself) that I possess some of the traits that I find most frustrating in others. OUCH. And that realization has brought a better understanding of grace and forgiveness. Perhaps it’s time to focus on the plank in my own eye and extend some grace to others – including my husband.

As iron sharpens iron, so one spouse sharpens another (Proverbs 27:17, my paraphrase).

How are you being sharpened in your relationships?

- Wendy

Asking the Hard Questions

Hilary is one of my very best friends. We met six years ago at university and, in ways only God could orchestrate, we began meeting once a week for accountability and prayer. While I have heard some people knock accountability – stating that each person can withhold information and not be truthful – I have found this to be one of the most defining aspects in my relationship with Christ.

As single, young women, Hilary and I met for dinner once a week (or by phone when distance separated us) to discuss, challenge, analyze, and pray over the choices that faced our futures: How could we best serve and honour God in our lives today? What was hindering us from growing closer to the Lord? How could we encourage one another in areas where we were struggling? …And one of the most common topics: How can we honour God in our relationships with guys and prepare for marriage during our single years?

Hilary has now been married to the man of her dreams for just over three months. Her husband is one of the most godly men I know and it thrills my heart to see the love God has given them for one another! I know that friendships change when marriage enters the picture, and so they should. But I am thankful for my faithful friend and our weekly phone calls that have continued even now. She asks me the tough questions that can only be asked by someone who knows you beyond your circumstances, into your heart. She's not afraid to confront my sin and point me to Christ. Her encouragement and prayers challenge me to pursue God’s best, to bring glory to Him with my life, and to fall more in love with Jesus every day.

Do you have a friend who can ask you the tough questions? A friend you can encourage to become more like Jesus? A woman who will speak Truth into your life when you are believing lies? Who will pray with you when you don’t have the words to pray? And remind you of God’s love and faithfulness?

I pray that you do have such a friend. If not, I encourage you to pray that God would show you someone to invite to be this person in your life.

With joy!

Michelle

Friends of our Lives

“Friends love through all kinds of weather”. Proverbs 17:17(MSG)

Our friendships vary as we move from one season of our lives to another. We remember childhood friends, high school friends and friends we made in college. Then there are work associates, which, for a time, we also called friends, although the season may have been short. New friends are added as we mature, maybe ‘couple friends’ who attend our church, or families with children may become group friends.

How would you describe a ‘true’ friend? Do you have some from each of the seasons I mentioned? What sets a true friend apart from the others, from just an acquaintance of a few years?

Solomon certainly spoke wisdom about friendships:

“Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family.” Proverbs 18:24 (MSG.)

Add your comments - we went to hear stories of your friendships!

Friends for all Seasons

A few weeks ago, I attended a national pastor’s conference in Mississauga. There were about 1000 in attendance. One thing I especially enjoy about these conferences is getting to see so many friends I’ve known through the years – people from many seasons of my life. Arriving early one morning, I greeted a woman in the foyer. Suddenly I realized she was a teenager in our first church. She reminded me of the many afternoons she and her friends had come to our home after school for trio practices. “Our friendship at that time,” she said, “shaped and established my Christian life.” I was her friend.

I met a couple later that morning that I only see occasionally, but right away the bond of friendship united our hearts as we visited briefly – a sincere friendship.

Pressing through the crowd at lunchtime, I bumped into a young woman, a former associate. (I actually had the privilege of mentoring her for several years). We enjoyed a brief exchange of warmhearted friendship.

Supper was shared with a couple I have known for many years who now live in the west. Our paths do not cross often but the friendship and respect of earlier years continues to grow and mature. It is as intimate friendship - with a ‘confidante’ quality.

Let me ask you about your friends. Have you ever tried to count them? Tell us about them.

Respond on our blog (just click "Comments" below to join the conversation!). We want to hear from you, our friends.

Eileen

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