Dear Ones,
Hope you enjoyed the beautiful weather over the weekend. Love the walks on the trail. When I came home from church on Saturday afternoon the hinge on my computer had popped off (more like exploded) and we took a trip to the geeks. They could not fix it and if we don’t find someone local who can, I will have to send it in, which may be 2 weeks. Just so you know if you don’t get devotions from me for a time.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
No one who is an island unto himself. To be whole and complete we need others.in our lives. Friendships are important and we not only need to open our hand of friendship to others but to receive it ourselves. Hopefully, as you read this, that you are rich with friendships and treasure them. None of us are totally self-sufficient, nor should we be.

When I read of Jeremiah’s life, he spent a lot of time alone and yet he had several close friends; one who even saved him from being murdered under King Jehoiakim. There is also much written of Baruch who a very faithful friend and a scribe who wrote down what Jeremiah dictated, delivering it when asked. He was loyal and didn’t abandon Jeremiah though they went through one hard time after another.  Another friend was Ebed-melek, the Ethiopian Eunuch, who risked his own life to rescue Jeremiah out of a cistern, where he was left to die.

 Not many of our friends have physically saved our lives but I am full of gratitude for those friends that have helped me in my spiritual journey and who I can count on. I am especially grateful that they were willing to listen to my heart and speak truth to me when going through hard circumstances and praying over me and giving encouragement. I have also wept and prayed with friends as their burdens were shared. King Solomon says in Eccl. 4:9-10, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and had not another to lift him up!” Friends are important and a gift from the Lord. We need to be open to new friends as well as old. I often meet with a longtime special friend on our way to KS, and we will just seem to pick up where we last left off.

We are rich when we have friends who listen well, keep confidences, share truth, forgive, desire to grow in the Lord alongside of us, and give encouragement. Let us be that very kind of friend that we want to have.

Challenge for today: Pray and make time for friendships that the Lord sends your way.
Blessings on your week and prayers and love, Judy