Forever Friends

Josh and I were sitting on the couch talking about some friends...and it occurred to us that we have made many lifelong friendships over the years.  Though we live states and time zones apart, they are never far from our hearts!

• Jonathan ended up marrying my sister and giving me one of the most beautiful nieces ever!
• Jennifer is just a phone call away and would drop everything if need be.
• Mark and Jean are always praying.
• Claude and Sharon are always praying and sending their love to us in so many ways.
• Dale and Linda, Sid and Terry, Pastor Jim and Laura...always plugging away with the prayers.
• Dave and Brenda - always welcoming us in like family.
• Josh and Casey, always ready with conversations, laughter and encouragement.
• Andrew and Licia, prayers, wifin' lessons, encouragement about!
• Scott and Karen - prayers...always praying!
• Lacey - her door is always open, her heart always listening.

The above are just a few that stand out at the moment...but there are SO many more I could name.  Danette, Lindsay, Debi, Annette, Joe and Tracy, Joel and Dess, John and Beate, Matt and Sara, Steve and Marilyn, Marty and Susan...each of these names represents a piece of our hearts. We know them, we have loved them...and our lives have changed because we have known them.  These are our Forever Friends.

I feel like I should end this post with Michael W. Smith's song "Friends."

Instead, I will end with a verse that I always glossed over, because I heard and used it too much in youth group.

"A friend loveth at all times."  Proverbs 17:17a

These people have loved us and prayed us through the tough times.  They are encouragers, they are iron sharpening and honing us to be all God wants us to be!