Wednesday, January 27, 2010

A God Friend

There are good friends and best friends and family friends and sort of friends and great friends but there is something VERY special about a God friend. I'm sure I'm using my own definition for this so let me explain. Friends that didn't come about by proximity or age or a shared education or a person in common - but a friend that only God could deliver to your doorstep while your jaw dropped to the ground as you realized the amazing package He left there. A few of you reading this ARE God friends. People who stumbled on my blog by accident and I read yours and you read mine. Crazy.

Betty is like that. I work with Betty. And let me explain that because it's more complicated than that. I talk to Betty on the phone because she is the MRI tech that scans people in South Texas and my doctors in Boston and Miami read those cases for her boss, an orthopaedic surgeon. So I've never met Betty in person - probably never will. But one day, she said something about God or Jesus and although I cannot remember I'm sure it kind and warm and completely unashamed - because that is how Betty is. Sweetest soul I've never met :). I have been profoundly touched by her and her model for loving people is exceptional. And HER TOTAL COMMITMENT to sharing Christ in the workplace has changed me. Her encouragement has brought me to tears as one day she asked if we could pray for a coworker. And one day last year, she asked if we could pray right there over the phone for Joel and Mark - a thought that I'm ashamed to say had NEVER occured to me. She has changed me. God has spoken through her so many times I can't even count. I think of her outside of work and she inspires me at the craziest of times. And she's helped me learn that I can't separate my work from God. And she was there in my head when I told Mark I'd be praying for him with all the crises in his life - because I couldn't do anything else that I could think of that would mean so much.

And I will never meet her this side of eternity. But she has touched me and through her encouragement and mentorship, she was who God used to teach me and change me. WHAT A BLESSING!!! I will never get over that He loves me so much to do all of that for me.

1 comment:

Susanz Place said...

O Dena I love love love this post. I shout out loud. PRAISE JESUS FOR ALL THE GOD FRIENDS!!!!! I so get what you are saying and am abundanltly thankful and blessed by the God friends I have been so graciously given over the years.
I always put it this way.
To have someone who cares more about who I am in Jesus then our friendship is a real true blue God friend. Those are the people I am always drawn to. We surely don't need any more YES people in our lives now do we.
I am thankful for your dear sweet God friend. Let's throw our hands to heaven and shout "thank you Jesus"

always remember
keep chasing righteousness!!!