friends

are you a friendly person? who are your Friends? what is your definition of a friend?

i have been blessed to have some great friends in my nearly 30 years of life (yes, my b-day is in 23 days!). from childhood friends like my buddy Chad Schenker who visited me Sunday and enjoyed half of the Steelers game with me to friends like David George, music pastor in Arizona, who stood beside Amanda and I when we were at our lowest point in life, i have great friends!

i have lived in Ohio (3 places), Missouri, and Oregon and have been able to develop life lasting friendships in each place. each friends of mine is unique. each one means something different to me, but each one is special!

there have been times in friendships when i have felt like i was the only one contributing. that's when you begin to see how important that friends really is. to me, if the friend is important to you, it's worth the investment.

sometimes, friends hurt you. i am sure each of us has been there. but, if that friend is sorry, we have a Biblical responsibility to forgive them and restore the relationship. this can be hard, but is worth it in the end!

on occasion, a friend can really disappoint you by their actions. they can make some huge mistakes and don't realize how they will affect you. these are the situations that teach you not to keep your eyes on man, but on God!

on other occasions, friends go above and beyond the call of duty. recently, we had some friends help us move from Bowling Green to Delaware. dave and kati thompson worked so hard and sacrificed so much for us and i don't know how we will ever repay them for that. we love them so much!

sometimes, friends just know the right time to send a note, e-mail, make an encouraging phone call, or just offer that much needed hug. there is no price tag for those moments.

each of us deserves friends if we are willing to be friends. never take them for granted. always let them know you appreciate them, and thanks God for bringing them into your life!

thanks, friends!