“Life Guides”

Those who live right are good guides to those who follow, but wrongdoers will steer their friends down the wrong path.  Proverbs 12:26 The Voice

Can we get in close for this one?  Pull your chair in tight with me, will you?

I have to just tell you that I am one who absolutely treasures my Girlfriends.  They have been there for me through the ugliest of my life’s situations.  I mean really ugly times ~~ you know, the kind where you wish you could erase from the minds of those who were eyewitness to them ~~ just not the memories I’d like to dwell upon, and yet … they are exactly the memories and moments that I would not trade for anything.

If not for the love of true Girlfriends, I would not have come as far as I have today.  Girlfriends who have your back (and front and sides) are a gift from God.

Just as sure as you have had your unforgettable moments, I, too, would have needed someone to scrape me up off the floor and doused me with some super glue to put the sad sorry pieces back together again.

Mama always told me that I wouldn’t need a gang of friends to keep me company ~~ just a few good true friends ~~ and growing up I must admit, I debated that advice many times over (shhh! mama doesn’t know that part).  We people-pleasers (erroneously) aim for the wrong kind of applause. But as an adult and a mama myself (and now a Lolie), I am here to declare mama’s advice was spot on.

When you’re down for the count, Girlfriend, God sends you His Love through those treasured friends.  It’s the God-sent Girlfriends that are true friends ~~ because their hearts have undergone the same transformation that yours has.  That is the difference.

I’m sure that as sure as the sun rises, you, too, have experienced being given advice that wasn’t meant for us to adhere ~~ and we bare the war wounds and scars to prove the battle.  Nonetheless, we got back in our game and have kept going.  And that’s not to scorn the ill-advisors, but we should take heed to the life lesson there.  Only the godly are well-equipped to protect and provide for one of God’s children ~~ because we share the same bloodline ~~ the bloodline of Christ Himself ~~ it only makes good sense that we listen to His Own ~~ our true sisters in Christ.

Small Groups ~~ Fellowship in those intimate circles ~~ that’s where we let our hair down, cry our makeup off, laugh until our cheeks ache, bare our souls for the rest to see ~~ it is in those God breathed transparent and vulnerable gatherings that God Himself shows up and shows off.  His Love is evident and knits us close ~~ get to know your Sisters on earth, because you’ll be spending eternity with her in Paradise.

She’ll cry with you and lovingly give you her shoulder to lean on ~~ she’ll send you that uplifting text when you didn’t expect it in the middle of that nerve-wrecking day ~~ she’ll stop by and bring you that meal when you just can’t seem to pull your resources together to provide for your family ~~ she’ll visit you in the hospital and tell you you’re beautiful even when you look and feel like a train wreck ~~ she’ll answer your call of distress in the middle of the night to comfort you with words of godly wisdom and reassure you that you are loved beyond your circumstances.

For those of us who know what it’s like to be on the receiving end of such grace and compassion, we appeal to those of you who have yet to experience it.  And for whatever reason you have not had the privilege to feel such sisterhood, I bid you: please get into a small group at your local Bible-believing church and get to know someone.  There is nothing more comforting than to know another human being is willing to stand in the gap for you and pray for you.  I guarantee you ~~ your life will never be the same.

Keep in mind, Sweet Sister of mine, we don’t seek perfect relationships in imperfect human beings ~~ perfection only comes from the Perfect ~~ God Himself.  But imperfect human beings do understand the limitations of other imperfect human beings ~~ we love in spite of our imperfection.  We love, we grow, we learn and we move on.  Life’s Lessons will continue to occur because this side of Paradise, we are still in training ~~ the difference is that we have a Divine Purpose with which to use these Lessons.

Could it be to lead and guide the Ones coming up behind us?

Turn around, Sister, she’s there in your shadow ~~ waiting for a hug, an embrace, an invitation to be brought in, an opportunity to be mentored.

I extend to you, Girlfriend, this moment of reflection ~~ to ponder on the goodness that has been bestowed upon you in days gone by and to reach out from your comfort zone to be one who is willing to make that difference in the life of a fellow Sister in Christ.  You just might be that catalyst that sets a ripple in motion …

A ripple of continuous love.

A sweet opportunity to be a Life Guide.

I love you to Heaven and Back, Girlfriend ~~

LindaRJohnson

T2T Visionary