I wake up this morning to the smell of campfire embers struggling
to stay alive, the occasional sound of sleeping bodies shifting in hammocks,
and shafts of sunlight just beginning to peek through the tree branches above.
In this moment, I am wrapped and comforted by the knowledge that
this is all because of You. Surrounded by fellow believers, taking a weekend to
admire Your creation, I am amazed at the glimpse of shalom that You have allowed me to experience. This is merely a
fraction of the perfect connection I will feel when I stand in Your presence,
yet even just this short moment is enough to leave me breathless. You still my
restless heart and content my insatiable longing.
You are the cornerstone to my connection to these people, and
because of that we have a bond that no secular relationship can parallel. You
have loved us with a love that is not fickle and dependent on good weather.
Because of your example, we have learned how to love each other unconditionally;
Not for our own sake, but for Yours.
Thank You, God, for friendships and allowing them to be a part of
Your plan; for allowing us to draw closer to You by encouraging and sharpening
each other. Please help me to develop an even deeper appreciation for You, the
friends You have given me within the Body of Christ, and the creation You have
made for us to explore.
