I have to tell you something so awesome...at least it's awesome to me. I am so incredibly excited about this. Well...you know when you move to a new place in ministry you "start all over again" when it comes to building relationships in your new place. You don't lose the old ones, and e-mail sure helps to maintain them. But with the "in person stuff" sometimes it's the hardest thing -- building ministerial relations all over again. Since moving to Tampa, Larry and I have made tons of ministry connections and met lots, lots, lots of wonderful people. We have become "friends" with many and we cherish the people here, however I still had not met that special PW friend that I could really bare my soul with in person (not just on the phone, by e-mail or occasional visits, but accessible...) You know, I cherish all of you...........and my ministry friends from other places we have pastored who still remain friends and in contact with us on a regular basis today. But there is nothing like that "in person" friend that you can do things with, have lunch with, go to Starbucks, tell your deepest feelings...you know, "do stuff" like shop, and actually sit across from each other on your big puffy family room furniture and just kick your shoes off, and talk for a few hours. I have thought, 'i have so many great connections, but when is that face to face ministry friend going to come into my life?" WELL...................I MET HER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We are both in women's leadership here in our district. At a leadership meeting in November I first met her, and I thought, to myself, "I really, really, like that woman. She is something else..." but I didn't know if she thought two seconds about me and being any more than a person that serves on a board with me. Well....unbeknownst to me at the same meeting she thought the same thing about me!!! Now at a recent meeting we were both at this past week, she approached me and said she felt the same way. Basically when we met it was "kindred friends at first sight". She has been saying the same thing for a long time as well..."I have so many 'friends' and connections, but where is that 'coffee buddy' that kindred soul-sister who can share the deep things of the heart??" This was it, we both found it!!!
Best of all she just lives a hop, skip and a jump away (in the next section over in our district, but half way is really nothing for either one of us.) We have so much in common in ministry........our churches are very similar.......we have so many of the same values, giftings, interests...........
The Lord has provided! I'm so excited!!!!!!!!!! Can't wait for our first get together at Starbucks! Halleluiah!!!
Ladies, just to encourage you...I've been here two years and I've waited all this time for this. In MD, I waited even longer, but it came. Trust me, sometimes you have to wait, but you finally meet the one connection that will be your deepest sustaining "in person" friendship in your ministry locale. If it hasn't come for you yet, don't give up, keep praying and keeping a watchful eye!
Deanna, that is awesome! I know how hard it can be to find a friend that you really connect with. I was just looking back at my old prayer journals, and I saw that on April 22, 2002, I had asked God for that very thing. Less than two months later, He told me (practically audibly!) that I was supposed to give notice and look for a new job. That led me here to North Central, where (through a totally weird and totally "God" series of events) I met the person who is currently my best friend in the world. Not only did He give me a friend that I could relate to, but through that friendship and a lot of deep discussions with her, He called me back to children's ministry and opened the door of ministry where I'm currently serving. It's amazing and overwhelming how much God cares about even the "little" things in our lives. Wow...I'm starting to tear up now! Let's just say it's been a rough couple of months and He's starting to remind me of all the blessings He's given me...
