Are you shopping for a new friend?

What’s the occasion?

Friends come in all sizes, shapes, colors and capabilities. They are not time stamped so you don’t know how long they will be good. Still, you can try them on before you commit. They satisfy needs. Some are high maintenance yet really bring joy into your life. Others seem to require no work at all. If you don’t connect for long periods of time, when you do it feels like the time apart was merely a comma in the middle of a sentence. However when old friends and new seasons don’t fit any more, emotional honesty and the related outcomes can be challenging.

I have heard people put their friends in categories and label them so they know where to look, for whom, and when. I have done this myself. Today I may need my best friend forever. Tomorrow I may need my workout friend, or my road trip friend or my shopping friend. However I believe my lifelong friend was divinely appointed.

Once upon a time very long ago we experienced an immediate bond and unspoken recognition that we were meant to be connected. We knew we would never be alone in whatever our situation. At some level we knew that connection was a life-giving force full of promise. Connected we had increased power exponentially.

Maybe your life has just been sucker punched and you can’t fight back. Maybe you are experiencing loss and don’t know what to do with your grief. Maybe you have met and are spending too much time with depression. Whatever your rhythm of life is, sometimes you stumble and sometimes you fall. And in those times you need the friend who can say the right words, do the right things and break your fall.

That friend will not let you hide. She will look behind the curtain. She will crawl in the hole with you and embrace your darkness. She won’t judge, she will wait, and pray and listen. She is the place so safe that the worst of you can be known. She helps you discover that you are not loved any less, but more for your vulnerability. And when you experience extremely positive emotions, she joyfully sings your favorite song long after you have forgotten the words.

If I ever have to intentionally “friend” shop, life has taught me exactly what to look for. How about you?

Please comment and share your thoughts. This is your place. You are important.

    Until next time, remember,

• You are not alone.

• You are not your circumstances.

• You have everything within you to live a purpose-filled life.