Kindred spirits make the best friends...
Friends don't lie to you or wrongly accuse you
They accept you as you are
They offer support and encouragement
Friends hold your hand when you're going through it
There is never judgement, no matter how stupid you act
There is often forgiveness
A friend believes in you, especially when you don't believe in yourself
Friendship isn't always easy
But it is almost always worth the work
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I am incredibly blessed with a handful of amazing friends - more, actually, than I think the average person has in a lifetime. I've had some disappointments when I've put (a lot of) effort into a friendship, only to have to watch the person's back as she walks away from me. Thankfully, those friends only number 2. Not too bad for 31 years. Other times, a friendship has drifted and eventually fizzled, nothing more than two people not really needing one another anymore and no longer sharing the same bond as before.
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The old Michael W. Smith song comes to mind when I think of my closest friends - and those friends who I've kept in touch with through the years in spite of distance and differences. I have found that when both friends have faith in their lives, the friendship is often there, even in absences. Call it God, call it stability, call it strength of character, whichever you want. But I know the friends I have are incredible blessings from God, Himself. And I know without a doubt that I am always trying to do and say the right thing - the true thing - without compromising who I am as a person or as a child of God. Do I slip on occasion? Sure, I'm a sinner by nature. But I must always get back to trying.
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For those of you who are my friends, I just want to say THANK YOU. My life is richer for you being in it.
