Good morning…

I love when time evaporates. Sipping tea in the living room of my friend who is managing the effects of her chemo treatment, we talked seamlessly for nearly two hours. As we meandered through details of the bond God has woven between us, time evaporated.

We marveled at the colorful threads in the rich tapestry of our shared story. Not until yesterday did we piece together the fact that, thirteen years ago, she was struggling to keep her bobbing head above deep water following a sudden divorce, and, thirteen years ago, I was hibernating in my dark cave of grief after being abruptly uprooted from the small town life of my dreams. Emotionally and spiritually, we were both pruned back to nearly nothing, starting over against our will, without our choosing. Her long time church became my new church home and, somewhere in that sacred space, we each lifted our eyes at very the same time and our souls met.

We reminisced about our women’s mission trip to Juarez, Mexico and spending creative time together with the recovering women at Breakthru House in downtown Atlanta. We remembered her facilitating a church program for me years ago and me facilitating Bible study in my living room for her each week. She wrote the “About Sue” page for my website, and I write the treatment updates for her committed prayer warriors. Time evaporated as we patched together our thirteen year story. How back then could we have known that the LORD was going ahead of us for such a time as this?
When I returned home from our sweet time of sharing, I retrieved from our mailbox a card addressed to me. I opened it to see her beautiful handwriting gracing the page. Now at 2:00 am, I re-read these loving words, dated 1 April 2016.

“On my note list your name appears again and again. Our paths crossed many years ago clearly by God’s gracious and all knowing hand. In this time especially, I see where God went before me – us – and established a relationship and support for me that has prompted dismay to abate though your words and your presence (Deut. 31:8). Thank you, my dear friend.

While this little note card will not hold all that I want to thank you for, it will let me tell you how much I appreciate the time and the gifts you’ve given me. I loved our lunches at our spot – the calm you brought to them. I have read and savored the wisdom in your devotionals and posts. Your texts and emails remind me that my body and mind are supported in this sometimes lonely journey. And, the books! The Hidden Life… When Breath Becomes Air… Same Kind of Different As Me. Plus, the communications you are sharing with a broad community of thoughtful, loving women. Truly, I thank you.

Finally, the prayer service. Simply one of the most beautiful and profound moments, pause, times in this journey and my life. Thank you for arranging it, encouraging it, and being so perfectly present with your words and the prayers shared. To hear the private conversations women I love share with God made me realize, just as you said, ‘God is at work.’ Love to you, my friend.”

“Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you,” Deuteronomy 31:8 (NLT),

Sue