And now, Lobsters, a guest post from one of my long distance friends, who is for me like a worn in pair of jeans that seems to fit perfectly, no matter how much my life keeps changing. To get to know her better, check out her blog. Take it away, Libby!
When Zoe asked if I would share my experiences with growing friendships long distance, I was so excited to have the chance to wrap my mind around such a crucial part of life and be able to share a bit with all you wonderful readers. It is surely a journey we have all been on before. The reality of living in a big, stretched out world beyond the childhood home, the campus dorm, the treasured community that expanded the word “family” to each of us, is ironically here to stay.
Here are a few questions I want to peruse about this life-giving source of long distance friends:
*Why are long distance friendships important?
* Who do we hold onto and why?
* What will I do differently to better maintain these friendships?
* What are some ways we can engage in these relationships?
We’ll tackle the first two today and the next two in another post.
In this over-scheduled society, it’s easy to view relationships as something that fits nicely into our calendars or not. I tend to think that the people I rub shoulders with every day are the easiest relationships to “grow” because there are shared experiences and a wealth of opportunities to talk. Why is it important to hold on to people who don’t get to share a meal across the table with you or play with your kids? One thing I can’t escape is that relationship matters greatly to Jesus. He was all about cultivating relationships while He was on earth and He set up the Church to function and breathe through community. We are very fortunate to live in a world that takes us to the ends of the earth, but in some ways it makes it harder to see those who Jesus meant for us to love and serve. The Apostle Paul was constantly on the move, spreading the Gospel far and wide and forging new friendships everywhere. His letters are chock full of affection for his fellow believers around the region. It is good, I see, to have friendships that last beyond the borders of my hometown. It is good to invest in people who God has laid on our hearts to connect with.
So who do we tend to hold onto and why? I have some long distance friends who challenge me and can see the truth in a situation over the phone that would be harder to see if they were in the middle of it with me. I have friends I love dearly who haven’t put their lives into Jesus’ hands, and I feel called to stick with them and love them across the miles. I have friends who are just plain comfortable to talk to, like a good worn in pair of jeans you never want to outgrow. There are friends who walked through the storms of my life and my gratefulness doesn’t allow me to let go and detach from them.
Your turn :-) Why are your long distance friendships important to you? What has made you stick with those when others have stepped
into the background?
No comments:
Post a Comment