Friendship : It is well with my soul

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

 

Each photo reminds me that God is sovereign. If He wills something to grow, appear or happen out of something else, it will happen - no matter how impossible or obscure it is.

I wouldn't usually write about my activities in blogs or on Facebook - partly because I don't think many people care, and partly because I appreciate that it was what it was and I'll forever have that memory locked away in my heart. 

But perhaps due to the fact that I dislike feeling 'boxed' (I was recently told I have 'Middle Child Syndrome'! ! ) I would like to use this chance to acknowledge and give thanks to God for His goodness in my life. I really, truly, really want to honor that God has been so good to me in blessing me with the gift of friendship in ways I never even knew He could. Amazing friends that have come from His amazing and sovereign providence.

While I was out to dinner one night in Canada in January - one of my closest friends text me to say she had been posted as a teacher to the country. She was up and leaving the next week and as a result, we wouldn't have a chance to say goodbye. I was already struggling with the fact that my best friend had just moved across the country with her boyfriend, and while I do have other close friends, I knew things weren't going to be the same when I got back. I put my phone away and tried to concentrate on eating a lovely meal with my sister, until stupid annoying obvious big fat tears started rolling down my face midway during our conversation on whether  sauce or mayo was better as a dipping sauce.

I'm a bit unusual in the way I handle bad news. If it's really serious, I laugh. (so SO awkward.) If it's just very disappointing, I privately shake it off and continue in the situation - pretending nothing is happening as I inwardly console myself. Until tears come out of nowhere mid conversation. Then people don't know whats happening. I'm a bit of a mixed basket!

My sister, quite used to my unpredictability at the best of times, gathered together all her encouragement and spoke the truth that I knew in my heart, but was having a difficult time actually believing. "God is sovereign and Has a plan. God is sovereign and He will provide."

I accepted this as truth, but it didn't soften the blow. I did have close friends left in Perth, but none whom I shared such history, such rich life experience with.

The Lord will provide.

When I got back to Perth post travel, I set about building and gathering around me a new flock, knowing full well that it would only be in Gods providence that they would reciprocate. I know full well that you can't will anybody to come into your life if it's not Gods Will that they there. But you can pray that God would deepen your existing friendships and bring about new and edifying ones according to His will.

And over the past 6 months, God has orchestrated the most amazing situations in my life. Friends have come along out of nowhere that have spurred on both of us in our faith, existing friendships have deepened and I have made a bunch of new friends that I am intentionally seeking to develop close friendship with.

Although I have a rather romantic heart - I have a realist head ... I know that the human willpower can cause these things to happen. But in all honesty - not in my case! Not with my introverted, non confronting personality! In my experience, my past efforts to reach out to make and develop friendships haven't always been fruitful. People have bailed at the last minute, people have not reciprocated the desire for friendship and quite frankly, the people just weren't 'there' to begin friendship with!! And I don't have the heart or energy to force things.

Which is why I can honestly say with a heart full of faith that the good Lord has provided for me over the past 6 months in such magnificent ways! I didn't change a thing- He has orchestrated everything.

So this blog is a way of thanking God for all that He has done for me, and honoring the fact that my good times have only come out of His providential love for me.  They are photos of this weekend just gone, and the different friends and places that I've spent time with. They all have something to do with food and drink, well because good food and friendship go hand - in - hand! However, I do want to be careful that as I post these photos - I'm not boasting of these photos in my flesh. I don't lay hold of these friendships and own them as my right, on the contrary, I offer them back to God as a sacrifice to do what He wants with them. I post these photos fully acknowledging that God has orchastrated each of these situations into my life, and I share that my life  is so enriched by the joy that they bring me!

Friday night:
Thai with a dear friend from uni.

Saturday night:
I was taken out for dinner by two dear friends to Robert Deniros Japanese restaurant, Nobu. The food was absolutely .. actually no, words can describe how good it was .. and we shared Japanese sake.

My friends had arranged some caramel meringues to come out with "Happy Birthday Kate" written on a plate since it was my birthday last week.

 

And last but not leastt, I had Apricot Wildflow with another beautiful friend this afternoon! This actually may have been the best tea I have ever tasted. 

 

And this is where I was when I wrote this post: !!

So while I do praise God for all of these things, I do acknowledge that I have learnt that He is my ultimate treasure. Everything else is just a bonus, including my friendships. There will always be seasons throughout life we will be in the 'wilderness', tempted to entertain feelings of lonliness. But the Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. We are to be grateful for both seasons - He is to be discovered in both.

Having lived in both the wilderness and in the abundance, I can honestly testify that if Jesus is your greatest treasure, you will never taste the loneliness the world tastes. Jesus is all we need, and He fills our cup to overflow.

Reflecting on this season of seeming 'abundance', I have drawn a few conclusions:

• When we seek Him with all our hearts, we align ourselves to be placed within His house, the church.
• In His house, He provides people in His house to 'do life' with. IThe connection is almost instantaneous.
• Once we are in fellowship with other believers, we are reminded of our identity in Christ, the inheretance we have and the treasure we are now called to share with others. We are filled with His Spirit, we are trained, sharpened, encouraged and ready to go out into the world to preach Christ.

Intimate friendship is gauranteed in all of these.

Friendship - it's never about what we can get from others. Friendship is about letting others share with us their story, allowing others to be our greatest teachers. Friendship is about who we are and  what we offer to others. As we listen, encourage, love and offer ourselves, we share the love and fragrance of Christ.



I have learned in whatever situation I am in to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.
Phillipians 4.11-13