It is said you can choose your friends but not your family.
We are blessed indeed if we not only like those we are related to, but are friends with them as well.
Sadly, it is not always the case.
To have a close friend and to be there for another is one of life’s greatest gifts.
Whenever we count our blessings, friends tend to be top of the list.
And if we have no or few actual close companions on our journey through life, we can still take comfort from knowing that God is always there for us, our greatest, most reliable and constant Friend.
God is all about relationship. His heart is fine tuned to beat with love for mankind.
He longs for us to know Him intimately. To trust Him with all our concerns. To seek Him and His ways above our own.
Jesus came in order to bridge the gap between heaven and earth, to pave a way to draw us back to the Father’s heart and to become our lifelong Friend above all others.
In so doing, He also shows us the huge benefit of friendship in its manifold expressions.
Today’s #poetryforthesoul micro-poetry offering is a celebration of friendship, written with gratitude for friends old and new.
‘Friends are’
Friends are
companions on our journey
holders of hands and hearts
listeners to pain and fears
bearer’s of God’s goodness
and all His grace imparts
bringers of smiles
wipers of tears
who make life worthwhile
as embracers of all we are
and can be
containers of God’s love
a gift unto eternity
treasure from above
©JoyLenton2013
Poetry Joy 
Dear Joy
Reading your words made me realize again how very vital our friendship with our husbands and especially our Lord Jesus is. With my illness my friends have become less and less. I am not angry for I know they have lives to live. Hope you are well, dear one!
Blessings XX
Mia
Dear Mia, you speak such poignantly honest truth. Our friendship with our husbands and our closeness to our Lord Jesus remain vital. I have suffered similarly to you in terms of ‘real life friends’. Very few have the ability or patience to understand the way our illness affects us. They have lives where appointments and arrangements are not subject to continual last-minute cancellation. It takes a very special person indeed to see past the frustration and disappointment, understand the reasons why we are often unable to leave the house or even cope with a visit/telephone call. One of the huge benefits about our social media interactions is how it brings us into contact with lovely people like yourself who have all the ability, patience and understanding we need because they walk in our shoes. I have been less well recently but it is easy to trace the cause. I am so thankful that God gifts me with words to write (very often in advance) and inspiration just when I need it. Though some more cutting back may be called for! Blessings of health and strength to you too, my God-given friend Xx
Every word so true and beautiful, Joy. Thank you for being the kind of friend who is truly a treasure from above XXX
Joyce, you are so sweet, kind and encouraging! I am honoured to know you and deeply blessed by your friendship and support. Thank you for being such a friend to me too. Xx
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Thank you for stopping by and for adding me to your links! Blessings 🙂
Just lovely. I am so glad that you are my friend, beautiful, creative, sensitive, Spirit-filled Joy Lenton. x
Oh, Helen, how do I reply to this?! Your lovely comment had me in tears. I so value your friendship too, and all you so beautifully expressed above is definitely true of you. Blessings and love Xx 🙂