FRIENDS!
Thank you so much for your thoughtful comments and words of encouragement from yesterday's post. I was truly touched by your support and felt so inspired by those of you who shared similar experiences. I want to personally acknowledge each comment, so I'll be responding to you individually over the next couple of days (if you haven't linked up your email to your Blogger profile, be sure to check back in the comment section for my response). I am feeling so blessed by your encouragement!
One thing I do feel compelled to clarify is that my relationship with Jesus began years ago at the tender age of five, when I experienced an encounter with Him that made me a believer virtually overnight. I have always loved, revered (and feared) God, but the transformation and life-change of four months ago has taken my relationship and depth of love for Jesus to a level I never knew could possibly exist. It is one thing to proclaim that you love the Lord, and another entirely, to actively pursue Him, spend time reading the Good News and to want to make the daily choice to walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh. I am still learning, but I do know that I want to surrender this life of mine to Him and live to glorify His name.
My pursuit towards a deeper and more personal relationship with Jesus was also encouraged by a dear friend of mine who is no stranger here on the blog; I have written about my blog-friend-turned-real-life-friend Becki before, and this past Easter after nearly TEN years of blog-friendship, she flew out here to Maui and I was able to meet her in the flesh:
I have been fortunate enough to meet a number of blog friends over the years; while there is always a sense of nervous anxiety about meeting someone for the first time, that was so not the case with Becki; it honestly felt like we'd already met, because our conversation was relaxed and easy, laced with humor that didn't miss a beat.
It was a quick trip for her, but oh, how grateful I was to share a handful of days with her, laying out by her hotel pool, spending hours talking over meals-gone-cold and finally being able to wrap my arms around her and give her a hug powered by ten years of friendship. And I have the blogging community to thank for that.
Over the years, Becki and I have exchanged emails about our faith and she has encouraged and inspired me to seek Jesus and know Him on a deeper level. I will never forget her last evening here on Maui; we went out to dinner and sat together at a sushi bar, talking about God so late into the night that Phil had actually called me on my cell-phone to check in. So much of what we shared with one another that evening really resonated with me and (no surprise), had me on the verge of tears. Becki has been so influential in this intimate journey of mine; everyone deserves a beautiful sister-friend like this.
Love you, Becki!
awww what a sweet post for Becki. What a treat to be able to get together after a 10 year blog relationship. She seems like a wonderful friend to have.
ReplyDeleteEmily at Amazing Grapes
If you care to share more, I'd love to hear what happened when you were 5....and what happened 4 months ago too.
DeleteFor a long time, I've been looking for more of a relationship with God...and I've been trying, but reading and studying the bible don't come naturally to me...and sometimes I forget to pray too. I know there's a deep desire in me, but it's almost like I'm not sure how to act on it. So I'm always interested in hearing stories of how it happened for others.
Awwww (blushing!), thank you! I 100% picked the right day to catch up on your blog! YOU are so amazing and i have said it so many times to you, i am just someone who's lucky to have you in her life all these years! Love YOU, Ang!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet post!
ReplyDeleteShe's a keep for sure!
ReplyDeleteThat's so awesome you were able to meet Becky!
ReplyDeleteRe: your clarification - I completely agree with this differentiation. And that's something I have a hard time defining in my own life too. I was saved at five - I know that. It wasn't until I was 19 and had resurfaced from the sea of doubts I'd battled for years in my teens that I had my own rock-solid faith, that I knew, without a doubt, that I believed in God and that I believed what He said about Himself and wanted to chase Him, desperately. So when I said in my comment yesterday I was thrilled to call you sister, I wondered if I should clarify that I meant I've always considered you one, since I knew you were a Christian, but to know you've been pursuing Him these past four months made me even more joyful, because I know, insofar as my own story can show me, what the fight is like when you're not sure, when you're feeling far from God, when you're struggling for one thing, just one thing, to know without a doubt. I know neither of our journeys from this point are going to be perfect, but I thank God that we've found each other along the way, pray He grows this friendship and uses us in each other's lives to sharpen each other as iron sharpens iron. I'm praying for you, Angie!