Sweet Fellowship

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:24-25 

I have been blessed by three sweet friends. We have gotten to know each other through a ladies Bible study this past year. Two of the ladies are dear friends that I have known for quite some time. We have been studying God's Word together for a few years now. A new lady was added to our midst this Fall. Our choice of study for this season is Lysa TerKeurst's new book entitled Becoming More than a Good Bible Study Girl. This is a DVD series, which is giving me a bit of a break as the leader of this group.

I'm not sure whether it is the topic of study, or just how God moves, but we have drawn exceptionally close to each other since we started this series a month ago. In our first session, the Holy Spirit was present, allowing us to have a deeper level of communication with each other. Since then, we all seem eager to be together and are even seeking fellowship outside of our scheduled 'study time'. When we are in each others presence, much laughter can be heard.

Last night was no exception. I left our study reveling in the blessing of being together, being able to be open and honest in the areas we struggle. It was a sweet time of fellowship. I know that the prayer requests we share will stay with these ladies. I don't fear having my trust betrayed in any way. What a joy to be able to rest in this fact.

Our focus for the next two weeks is on our relationships, particularly with other women. Women often seem to struggle with insecurities, which in turn affect our relationships with our friends. God desires for us to find our security in Him. When we look to Him for our acceptance, only then are we able to reach others with God's love.

As I was reading Lysa's book today I was struck by these quotes. 

•  "A friend who guards her words is a gift."
• "Words spoken by friends are especially powerful. They can lift us up and spur us on to achieve things that wouldn't have been possible without the encouragement of a friend. But hurtful words can also be the very thing that renders a woman powerless and shuts her down."

I believe most women have been hurt by a friend at some point in their life.  I feel that God desires for us to get past the pettiness, and seek out the sweet fellowship that He has for us in our friendships with other women. I find myself extremely blessed by these three women and I am thankful for them.