That's What Friends Are For

I have been SO encouraged this past week! I have been so "alone" in my walk with Christ, as there are no young women (or young men, for that matter) around me who share the same commitment and honest passion for Christ and holiness as I do. It's been a blessed time, as I've been realizing that I must translate my loneliness into prayer at the Throne...but also, I have really seen the reason why God established the "church," the Body of Christ, and said "do not forsake the gathering of brethren." If we cannot walk with God steadfast even when we have no friends to "support"us, then our faith is nothing. BUT on the flip side, I see so clearly how the support and encouagement of other believers is so important! I don't mean Christians who only "make you feel good," but who exhort you to deeper walks with God, who encourage you (and follow you!) into personal time alone with God, who share the same standards of life as you know God has called us to...you don't realize how IMPORTANT and WONDROUS that is until, like me, you have none of that.

I stumbled upon a "blog community" this week of Christian women/girls seeking the Lord, and actively living and talking opening about modesty, purity, holiness, and deepening your relationhip with God. It has done my weak heart SO much good to read the exortation of other sisters, to see their transparent lives, read their struggled in this battle we face in our singleness (I believe the mass amounts of "waiting" women is a spiritual battle - the Enemy is wreaking havoc amongs the godly men [and just as much the women, too, but as a young single women myself, I'm most personally aware of it's affects on single women])...I don't know ANY of these girls, probably never will. Alot of them have differences from myself - they say "modest," I say "frumpy," or they say "modest," and I say "NOT modest" or "clothes are too important to you by the way you glam up." Some say "courtship" or "dating," whereas I say "seek the LORD's standards for YOUR life-style and don't mold to someone else's ideas" (too big a topic to try and explain here...). Some say "Reformed" or "Baptist" or "Jewish"...whereas I say "non/denominational-hard-core-follower-of-God-and-His-Word." Point made, I'm not a cookie cutter of any of these young women. BUT they share my passion for Jesus and the REAL Jesus. I am grateful for these women and girls who have shared a few paragraps of their lives with me (altho unknowingly) and who blessed and encouraged me.