Oh...Friendship

These next couple blogs I want to recount to remember what exactley God has taught me during the time in which he took me on an unexpected detour to work some things out within me. I want to focus this blog on friendship but moreso the next couple blogs on three exact issues : friendship, pride, and ministry. This is in a hope of finally coming to terms and realizing the extent of these lessons in my own life.

I must say that the lessons God has taught me about this particular subject about friendship have been incredibly difficult.It is hard to take away all of one's perception about certain subjects and replace that. God did that and it was a ride.

The living situation this year is so good a pure joy, and I honestly have no complaints. I live in an apartment with three awesome guys one kitchen, one living room, two bathrooms, and four bedrooms.

This is Rory he was in my wow group last year and we just clicked although we were totally different people, he is a music major.





This guy's name is Evan I consider him my best friend in the whole wide world, he is a construction managment major.






This is Matt he was my best friend's roomate last year, a computer engineering major. These are who I am living with this year. It isn't anything like a dorm you enjoy each other's company and you see each other and really have to live with each other and are forced to get along or face the consequences. I consider it is a blessing to be living with all these guys.

















Evan and I have had a little bit of a culture shock with the circumstance God has placed our way and its been awesome to learn how to work through everything God gives us together. By leaning on each other and the friendship that has given us we are able to make it through. I will note two things though that was preventing us from leaning on each other as brothers in Christ. One we were afraid to bring up issues that we didn't want to talk about, we should only fear God not the response of people. Secondly we were also upset to accept that we can't devote all our time to each other anymore there is responsibility and other things that we do need to focus on.

This girl's name is Elise, she is the love of my life, my other best friend. God has called this to be my other focus. It has been difficult managing all the time that God has given me to do with what I will and delegate and distribute it responisbly. Thanks be to God who through an easier architecture class this quarter I have had more time to devote to people like Elise who are so truly wonderful.

I thing the biggest difficulty in friendship this year has been simply having enough time to enjoy eachothers company. In a sense letting go enough so God can do His things and we can find pleasure in His ultimate greatness. It's been difficult to accept that perhaps God wants us to work towards something better and bigger than ourselves but not have the same responsibility because of the way our lives look and the difference between this and last year. We are meant now in this season to be devoted to a few and pour into them and let that pour out to a few. and pour back into us. It isn't about simple nonstop ministry its about simply letting God do what He wants to do letting go to grow closer.

I believe it is in preperation for the real world where you can't have hundreds of friends you have a few. The challenge is making every moment purposeful, making sure that what God wants is being done with the time given us. I still have a lot of work to do with that but I am making things simpler. I am devoting myself to my apartment and Elise and not being upset that God has called me to only four people for the most part. I will enjoy all the other friendship when time dictates and God calls me to but I am letting go of some in order that I might have a stronger bond and better friendships.

JG