It's Tuesday at 2:00pm! (PST Time: I live and work from Southern California)
I hope each of you were able to CELEBRATE in some way over the past week. Life is so full that we sometimes miss important moments. Live and celebrate!
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Another aspect of CELEBRATION is to think about the people that are around you.
There's a great story from Jesus found in Mark chapter 2. It's the story of a group of friends that were committed to bring their paralyzed friend to Jesus to be healed. They couldn't get to Jesus because of the crowds, so they went to the roof, cut a hole in the roof, and lowered their friend down to Jesus, and he was healed.
It's an amazing story of Jesus' power, of his compassion and a great image of friendship. These friends were ready to do whatever it would take to bring wholeness to their friend, and together, they succeeded. Read the whole story in Mark 2:1 - 12.
Think for a minute about the people that are around you.
Michael Slater wrote a book years ago called "Stretcher Bearers". In his book, he asks the question, "Who would come to carry your stretcher if you needed help?"
That question created a powerful moment in my life as I thought about who my friends were and who would come to help me if I needed it. It also caused me to think about who I would be willing to help and carry to wholeness.
We have been created for community; created to live together in unity; created to encourage and pour into each other. We were not created to go through life completely on our own.
Who would carry your stretcher? Who's stretcher would you carry if there was a need?
Today I want to encourage you to AFFIRM some people in your life that are important to you. We can easily come up with excuses as to why we don't have time to maintain and build up our friendships.
Here are some ways to communicate to your friends how much you value them:
• Send them a text today, simply thanking them for their friendship.
• Send them an email or write a note sharing what you appreciate most about them.
• Make the time to grab a cup of coffee or a meal without an agenda... and then spend more time asking questions and listening than talking
• Create a habit in your life of calling your friends on a regular basis
• Let them know that if they need you, you will be there. Then do what you say you'll do.
• Be the kind of friend you want others to be to you.
As for me, I have so much to be thankful for:
- To the "Global Wedding Crew" who just showed up for an incredible weekend of celebration, hard work, and lot's of laughter: Your friendship means so much to Gina and I. We wouldn't want to do life without you. Thanks for showing up. Thanks for investing into our lives for so many years.
- To our friends that we get to do life with regularly, we thank you for sharing your lives with us. We desperately value community and life together! We need more time with you.
- Tomorrow, Gina and I will celebrate 32 years of marriage. 32 years of learning how to carry each other and love and encourage each other. What a joy to have a life-long partner, best friend and soul mate! Life with you is the best! I love you.
The people that are in your life are more important to you than you'll ever know. Don't take them for granted. Today, thank them and celebrate your friendship.
"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing." 1 Thessalonians 5:11
"Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart." Eleanor Roosevelt
