The Blessing of Friendship

   A year and a half ago I married an amazing man whose personality is very opposite of mine in many ways. Landry is one of the most friendly, outgoing people I know. On the other hand I have a rather introverted personality. If we were both put into a big room of strangers, I would feel very uncomfortable and maybe meet one new friend to make the time pass. Where as Landry would come out knowing everyone's name and something about each person and he would love getting to know new people. So I am figuring out that God had more than one reason he matched us together. God knew I like to stay in my comfortable bubble and not reach out BUT that is not possible being married to Landry. At church Landry always goes to the front to talk with whoever goes forward whether he knows them or not and whether the church has 100 members or 1200. I always think in my head someone else will go,because it makes me uncomfortable which is a really bad Christian attitude. Luckily for me that attitude has been broken over and over again as Landry drags me to the front. I have learned from him that it is NOT about ME! Who cares how I feel it is about making other people feel loved and cared about.
   Since moving to Hawaii God smashed my bubble. We came here knowing no one but each other and if we wanted to make friends I had to reach out. It was not hard here though as I have said before the church we attend is so welcoming and loving to new comers. Since it is a mainly military congregation and is use to lots of turnover. Some of our friends, Justin and Sarah Jones, just left last week and they really taught me how to be a friend. They invited us over for dinner right after we met and it made me feel instantly closer to them. While I was looking for a job I had a lot of alone time on my hands. Every week Sarah would text me and invite me to hang out with her and her 1 year old daughter or a group of moms that get together and it made me feel included and took my mind off of finding a job. She taught me how to open up and let people in. I have learned a lot about how to be a friend in the last 5 months. You can be a friend to someone no matter what your differences are. I have learned a lot from people of different ages than me, women with kids and different backgrounds.
  
 Last week Caleb and Heather Kersey came to visit us and we had so much fun reuniting with them. I lived with Heather for a little while and Landry and Caleb have been friends since college. We have a lot of fun hanging out with them as a couple. We had so much fun showing them around and catching up on whats been going on with them since we left Nashville. After they left last Sunday in church I was reflecting in my head and thanking God so much for their friendship. I thought what a great gift from God friendship really is.

So here are some things I am learning about being a friend:

*Stepping out of your comfort zone to make new friends is really worth the risk.
*You never know how much your friendship will mean to someone.
*You get more back than you put in usually.
*I need to think less about how I feel and more about how others feel.
*Opening up your home to people is a great way to break down barriers and to make everyone feel comfortable.
*I am so thankful God gave me a husband that shows me how to be a friend daily.

Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.