Once a month I meet with a group of ladies for the purpose of challenge and encouragement, specifically in the area of encouraging other women.  Each woman in this group (including my daughter, the youngest by a decade), is in a place where God is calling her to speak words of life and truth into other women’s ears and hearts.  Together, we are reading Esther, mining the depths of this story to find truths for our daily lives.

 

 

Last time we gathered around my table, I got excited over a point of discussion and blurted out a comment, and my sweet friend quickly replied, “Hang on!  That’s not right!” about a point I made.  My process-aloud-personality had resulted in my mouth moving faster than my brain, and the statement I made didn’t quite line up with the truth we were discovering together.  It occurred to me in the moment, and I told the ladies around the table, that it’s a precious privilege to have the kind of sweet fellowship that allows us to safely think aloud, to speak challenge to each other, and to receive that challenge, pointed back to the source of Truth to re-discover for myself.  It takes trust, but trust built on the fruit of a life of honor (not perfection), to speak and to listen in that way.

 

This time together is painting for me a new picture of what it means to unite our hearts, genuinely, in friendship that is family.  There is gentleness tempered with boldness, and there is always a humility that says, “The world isn’t centered on me.  It’s centered on the One who made it, and the rest of the people He loves, and wants me to love in His name.”  That kind of mindset frees us to be real.

 

Do you have a “safe place” in kindred spirit friends who allow you to truly fellowship – meaning to challenge and encourage each other to think and act in love – genuine love?  If so, I’m dancing with you – because in these seasons, we get a rich illustration of the out-living of our purpose on earth.  Are you in a season where your Papa is calling you to unite more deeply with Him – putting your trust more completely in the One TRULY “safe” place?  Then I’m cheering for you – longing for your faith to grow – for your hope to be soundly placed in the unfailing Love of your soul’s best friend.

 

{On Fridays I try to keep up with a wonderful group of writers who challenge themselves to free-write for five minutes on a shared topic. Click to Kate’s page Five Minute Friday to see what others are saying!}