Friends Are A Blessing

Have you heard about the new site (in)courage? It launched on Monday and looks like a lovely place to stop by and be encouraged by some of your favorite women/bloggers. In fact, I know (online anyway!) and love several of the women involved with the site! They want to know what encourages us.

I am first and foremost encouraged by the Lord through His Word - the Bible - it is comforting, inspiring, strengthening, convicting, enlightening and much more! I am also encouraged by my husband and son - there is nothing that compares to the love of family. But there is something else that encourages me so much - friendship!

I've even written about friendship before during Friendship Days. I am so blessed to have many different kinds of friends. I have friends from long ago that I see on Facebook and in person. I have good friends that I see weekly. I have friends from blogging that I hope to meet. I even have friends from Twitter! I consider all of these true friendships and am encouraged by all in different ways.

I have been encouraged in walking with the Lord, in tackling new opportunities, and in becoming a better homemaker, among other things. I have been encouraged through friends' words - both oral and written, through friends' hugs - both real and virtual, through friends' tears and through friends' laughter. We share a bond that weaves through our lives.

I am greatly blessed and encouraged by my friends. Thank you my friends! But I am not even close to being a perfect friend! I hope to do a better job of encouraging my friends and know that the Lord can help me with this.

There are a couple of verses I can meditate on to remind me of what real friendship is about:

Romans 12:10-13
Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things.

Blessings to you today my friends! The blessing and encouragement of friendship works for me!

See what's working for others at We Are THAT Family and be encouraged by the many posts linked up over at (in)courage!

I happen to think that friends are a very important part of achieving a beautiful life! Go and experience more beauty at The Inspired Room during Beautiful Life Friday!

I am also linking this up to Your Life, Your Blog at Real Life. Go link up any post from the previous week! By the way, Sarah from Real Life is a special blog friend who inspired me to start blogging!