Friendship, accountable, discipleship

 A critical and vital component of this journey towards healing and wholeness has been trusted friends and brothers in Christ. 

I taught on Healthy Same Sex Friendship in Journey, as I have been blessed to have real deep sincere friends supporting me. They have seen and heard my worst parts, as well as my best parts, and I have through them learned what it means to be loved and accepted just as I am. 

I have confessed my deepest darkest sins, fears and failures and expressed my highest hopes, dream's and visions with these faithful band of brothers I am privileged to call my friends. 

They have been my accountability partners, to whom I have admitted my addictive and compulsive behaviors and thought life, and yet never felt condemned, judged or rejected. Grace and love has been poured out abundantly by the friends God as placed within the sphere of my life. 

Not only have we been friends for the sake of friendship, which has been true, happy to enjoy the pleasure of each others company, we have added a deep dimension of true discipleship within these friendships. 

We have faithfully met regularly on a Friday morning, to deep dive through the word and seek how we may live the truths found there. Working on stuff like Silence and Solitude, the Seven "I am" statements of Jesus. 

We have walked up mountains to pray regularly on a monthly basis to intercede for our country, community, church and families, what an adventure.

We have been on camps together to deepen the truths. Or woke up at 5am 3 days a week to mine the word. Often chatting about challenge's in our lives and encouraging each other to be more like Jesus our Lord.


Not only have I found love and acceptance but called out and challenged in terms of my thinking, emotional responses, physically, and spiritually, in many areas, and I have been able to do the same for many.

My circle of friends has many levels as did Jesus, I have a close circle, but so many other deeply valued friends, both men and women. I wondered if I should name my friends, but I don't want to miss anyone, so you know who you are. Many are long standing friends, with whom we don't see each other often but pick up where we left off. Others are newish and still others are developing. I love and appreciate all of you.

These are them that I have been brave enough to share my story with, and they have shared thier own stories, and also poured out confessions, hopes and dreams in a small group setting, and I have had the privilege of facilitating a deep intimate relationship with God the Father and Jesus in a leadership role. I love and respect these guys so deeply. 

I have made myself available to be friends with people who find themselves in similar situations like mine. I have been through the pain and often despair and am able to lend a open ear for them to just chat and unburden themselves. As I have freely received, so I freely give.

I have included below some quotes on friends that I found to be true in my life.

“A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and accepts you just the way you are.” — Unknown

“The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing…not healing, not curing…that is a friend who cares.” — Henri Nouwen

“My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me.” — Henry Ford

“A strong friendship doesn’t need daily conversation or being together. As long as the relationship lives in the heart, true friends never part.” — Unknown

“That’s when I realized what a true friend was. Someone who would always love you — the imperfect you, the confused you, the wrong you — because that is what people are supposed to do.” — Unknown

Don’t make friends who are comfortable to be with. Make friends who will force you to lever yourself up.” — Thomas J. Watson

“There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate.“ — Linda Grayson






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