Good Day, Meetpastordan Readers…Pam and I recently returned to Florida from a wonderful eight-day trip to St. Louis, MO. The Alton-St. Louis area is where Pam grew up, and St. Louis was my home for graduate school, four years in the Air Force, and forty years on the faculty at Washington University which provided the base for developing my music career. To be in St. Louis is being in our second home – complete with friends, memories, excitement, the Cardinals, and partaking of the wonderful food from “The Hill”. Needless to say, we returned to Florida rejuvenated (and a bit exhausted), but filled with new memories and stories to share with our friends here. (As you have probably surmised, I’m a lover of nostalgia!)
Friends -my friends – I believe are gifts from God. Let’s start from the very beginning. No doubt God created Adam and placed him in the Garden of Eden to tend and to watch over it. But after he had named all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals, there was still no helper just right for him. So, the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While asleep, He took one of man’s ribs and created Woman. This is why man and women are united to become one in marriage. (Ref. Genesis 1:15-24)
We were not created to go-it alone. Whether we admit it or not, we need not only helpers. but friends. No doubt we all have families; no doubt we have acquaintances, but the title “friend” is an honor that must be earned. Families appear without invitation; acquaintances are casual encounters, but the bestowed title of “Friend” is indeed an award.
First, there is the vetting process; this is a time of examination. We want to get to know the person, and this begins with casual conversation. If we make a connection – meaning we’ve discovered “in-common” situations – or perhaps we’re intrigued by what we are hearing, we most likely want to know more. If the conversation continues, we are probably searching for these answers; Do their values line up with mine? Are they honest; can I trust them? Do we like the same things? Do I see this friendship developing into a healthy relationship? If we get satisfactory answers to those important questions, we are then ready to bestow the title, “Friend.”
Friends are the salt, pepper, and sugar of our existence. They are our sounding boards; they’re ready to celebrate our success, ready to lift us up in our time of need, and ready to give advice when asked. Everyone needs someone to talk to…it’s cathartic! And the more the friendship grows, a comfort zone of trust and respect beckons the sharing of both personal and intimate information. The blessing that results from this level of communication is freedom because the burden of hurt, guilt, shame and remorse is addressed, and consequently lightened. This is why I think friendships are a blessing; they are antidotes to depression and anxiety.
Over the years I have been blessed with many precious friends. Thankfully, they all accepted my invitation to engage: Sam, Faye, Ed, Dianne, Mike, Ken, Charlotte, Mark, Mary, Johnny, Raul, Linda, Roger, both Pams, and even more that will undoubtedly come to mind after I have stopped writing. But each of my friends has left an indelible impression on my heart. Some are still here, others are gone, but their memories continue to transcend both time and distance. As I think of them and reminisce…each one brings a smile to my face. 😊
I stated earlier that I believe friends are gifts from God. Why? Because God created us for a relationship with Himself. Genesis 1:26 reveals His plan: “Let us make human beings in our image.” At the end of the sixth day of Creation, God created Man. The difference between Man and every other animal is Man has the ability to think rationally; we have the ability to choose. (All other animals live by instinct.) Therefore, the choice to surround ourselves with friends is pleasing to God because it defeats the darkness of loneliness. Loneliness invites the enemy in, and he is more than happy to answer that call with depression, anxiety, fear, guilt, shame, remorse, low self-esteem, or perhaps even suicidal thoughts. But friendships provide an antidote to darkness because they are built on the firm foundation of love; Love is light, and darkness can never snuff it out!
Whether I’m in St. Louis reminiscing with acquaintances and friends, or making friends right here in Apollo Beach, FL, I relish the process of building and the reward of reaping. But in all honesty, because of who I am today, and in response to my calling, whether it’s making new friends and growing with my existing friends, “being one and making one” is always at the front of my mind. “Why”, you might ask? Because I love my friends – even unbelievers – enough to share with them the Gospel of Grace. (Not to do so, in my opinion, would be a blemish on my role as a true friend.) Friends are undoubtedly wonderful, but Brothers and Sisters in Christ are on another level. But…friends who are also Brothers and Sisters in Christ…Wow! It doesn’t get any better than that!
To conclude: I need my friends; I love my friends – whether current status or memory status. They all have contributed to my life in a unique way that could only have come from their willingness to say, “Yes” to love and trust. I have been blessed abundantly by them, and I thank God for each and every one of them.
Feel free to respond to this message, and please share it with other social media friends.
May God Bless You Abundantly… Dan Presgrave (a.k.a. Pastordan@meetpastordan.com)