The Love of a Sister

What does it mean, truly, to be a friend to someone or to have a friend?

There are three precious women I have known for many years.  We met through our church; we were part of a small group Bible study together.  There came a time when some of us were called to other churches, but we kept our Bible study going.  People thought it was weird, but the church is really the people, not the building.  God continued to give us different callings which changed schedules and eventually our regular Bible study meetings had to finally come to an end.  But our friendship did not.

This afternoon I had the privilege of spending a few hours chatting over coffee with these treasured friends. As I listened to each of us sharing our fears, our struggles, our triumphs, our shortcomings and our hopes, I was just so overcome with joy.  I've watched these women graduate college, get first jobs, struggle with bosses, change careers, become moms, move away, move back, run half marathons and train for an Ironman.  I've watched these women feel on top of the world and in the pit at the bottom of the valley.  I've watched these women pray together and encourage each other through scripture.  I've watched these women drop what they're doing to meet another one's needs.  I've watched them open up their homes when another has no place to stay.

I have watched these women do life together and speak life to each other and never ever let one of us slip away through the cracks of life that are so easy to hide in.  This friendship I have with these women, well, friendship cannot even begin to describe the depth of what it truly is.  But each one of them has shown me the love of Christ, a love far greater and deeper than I deserve.  I am so thankful to call them sisters.  

Tonight I'm praying for my little girls to grow up to be this kind of sister to each other.  Not just a sister because they happen to be siblings, but a sister that loves another sister with all the love offered through Christ.

A sister that will take a look at life from your vantage point.

A sister that you can be your real silly self with and recruit to join you in the silliness.

A sister that will encourage you in the Word and point out what you can't yet see.

A sister that will teach you by example.

A sister that you can't really hide from no matter how hard you try.

A sister that understands you are uniquely called and equipped for certain tasks even when they differ from hers.

A sister that is willing to go on life's great adventure with you wherever it may lead.

A sister that you can always reach out to from any place.

A sister that will always be there to love you where you are.

I pray that my girls be more than sisters.  I pray that they be friends.  And I pray that they be more than friends.  I pray that they be sisters.