Bible study, M&M Saturdays, Secret Sisters, and Retreat. These are some of the ways that CNC women can be involved with one another. These are safe places where we can share the story of our lives with another on a consistent basis.
“Stories create community. It is in sharing experiences that we write history with another person. It is in the telling of those shared experiences that we develop commonalities and friendships. We create emotional ties, we deepen relationships. We look for common experiences and relate on those levels.” Beverly Hislop, Shepherding a Woman’s Heart, p. 113-114
That’s true for me. I recently went on a retreat with another church (to Santa Cruz). I asked a friend to come along with me. We had fun all week-end with one another – well the intestinal issues weren’t so fun. But we did write a history together that weekend. That history, including the intestinal one, deepened our commonalities and friendship.
It was my first road-trip (albeit a pretty safe one) with a girlfriend since I was a young unmarried thing. My friend was a great navigator and didn’t yell or even sigh when I almost hit a car or got lost. She showed compassion and brought me the trash can (quick!) when I didn’t feel well. I showed her the same compassion when she didn’t feel well. We laughed a lot and talked even more.
We wrote history together. We are (emotionally) closer than before.
And you know, it was hard to take that time away. To make that time. For our friendship.
Ladies, when was the last time you made time for a friend?
When you wrote some history together?
Your Turn . . . Get your calendar and phone a friend for a history-making date.
Related Posts . . .
- 5 Reasons I Love My Support System
- 10 Things I Like About My Best Friend
- 15 Things Real Friends Do Differently (from Marc and Angel Hack Life)
- 25 Ways to be a Friend (from Chasing Blue Skies blog)
- 101 Ways to Connect With Others
- Do You Have a Highlight in Your Life?
- What Makes a True Friend? 5 Characteristics (from Beyond Evangelical)
Fruitful Devotion by Pastor Susan 
Great post and I think that is why we have the OT…God knew that when we told our story to our children, when we shared it through feasts and holy days, we would reinforce the bond. I so miss some of the things my Grandma would tell me aobut, things that draw a whole generation of people together, or a church or a community, things that in a disposable and mobile society we lose. I’m so glad you got to go on a retreat with a friend… I haven’t done that since I was a not so young single thing either! This one in June will be my first since being married and I hope to make some (positive) history! :o)
Okay, Susan, continuing our electronic conversation… :o) I was thinking about this last night some more. And I realized that it is so comforting to have a history with someone. My best friend Shelley and I have gone through each of us losing a parent, each of us facing a health crisis, we survived living together 5 years, financial crises, many road trips and hiking adventures, a church split and she has been there for me at my wedding, through my infertility, with my pregnancies and came right after I gave birth, she’s the best Auntie ever and we continue to build a history.
We have laughed until we cried and cried until we laughed and I can pick up the phone and she will understand me without explaining a word – that is a miraculous gift from God I cannot take for granted! Thanks for making me think about it…I think i’ll wirte her a letter! :o)