Encouraging Friends

There were two parts of Thursday that I didn't include in my short little run down of the evening. I've wondered lately if simply being a friend is a ministry of its own. Just encouraging someone, letting them know they are valued, praying for their needs, offering companionship...I think it is a ministry--an important one.

I was thinking this in terms of me being a friend to others, not others blessing me. Thursday, though, I was blessed by pure friendship.

First, as I was answering the never ending phone calls on Thursday morning, a volunteer's husband, Albert, called. He works with the local food & clothing outreach. In their little building downtown was a visiting missionary. Albert put the missionary on the phone and the man introduced himself, asked my name while Albert was filling him in about the big plans for the night. The man, whom I've never met, just started praying for me--praying for peace for and for all the details of the evening, for ideas and again for peace. This man is a Messianic Jew, from the tribe of Levi, the set aside tribe of the Old Testament. It really hit me today how rare it was to speak to a man of such lineage. Peace has been my theme for the year, my prayer theme, if you will, so it was touching that the Lord would send me that gift the morning of the Gala.

And closer to my heart, a friend who I won't embarrass by naming, had been following the proceedings of the day and knew I would be tempted to feel defeated, sent me a text two hours before the Gala. It read: Relax :) Everything is going to be great! God's plans are always better than ours. Let's rock this party!

Friendship ministry may be the most important ministry after ministering to our husbands and children...