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Sisterhood: Soul Therapy

Tears of joy.

 

Smiles a plenty.

 

Hearts wide open.

 

 

All found in the uninhibited exchange between sisters.

 

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I’ve heard it said, “I don’t ‘do’ women.” What that screams is, I’ve been hurt, I’ve been wounded, I am afraid. Women are wired to be in relationship with one another. There is safety, comfort and joy found in sisterhood. From styling one another’s hair to delivering babies, from sharing the deepest secrets to holding bridezilla while she has a meltdown, women are designed to nurture one another.

 

[bctt tweet=”The soul is nourished when the heart is embraced in sisterhood.” username=”inspiredfully”]

 

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I met a woman once who confided in me that she didn’t have a female in her life that she considered a trusted friend. I was deeply moved by that and my heart went out to her. Wouldn’t you know, 4 years later, we are friends. She is lively, funny, loyal and giving, a good recipe for being a great friend. Yet my sweet friend had spent time without the beauty of sisterhood.

 

[bctt tweet=”Soul therapy is found in the sacred space of sisterhood.” username=”inspiredfully”]

 

Careers, schedules, children, husbands, fears, and just daily living can have us trapped in silos. Our ability to nurture meaningful relationships becomes subject to the captivity of solitary confinement UNLESS we intentionally fill our prescription of soul therapy and demand our RELEASE.

 

I’ve always treasured friendship and I’ve been blessed beyond measure to do life with some amazing women. They teach me, challenge me, love me, help me, and flat out make me smile. I’ve also been hurt by a few but my heart remains open. For what is life without love? What is life without hurt? Is a life truly lived if it isn’t felt?

 

Recently I shared hearts, laughs and tears with a sweet friend. She literally radiates sunshine. We filled our prescription of soul therapy over a mutual love, COFFEE. You can find her talking about all things coffee over at EspressoTrips

 

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For my birthday I was blessed to share excellent food, great conversation, hopes and dreams with two of my favorite gals.

 

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As a homemaker, the nature of the job can have me riding solo often. Then add in being a wife and mama to 6, my time for nurturing meaningful relationships with my sisters can be hampered. So I have to be purposeful and intentional in my connections. Relationships are dear to the heart of God. I think He illustrates this so beautifully through relationships in the bible, from David and Jonathan to Jesus and the beloved disciple, that we’ve been called to do life together. And if relationships are meaningful to Him then they should be meaningful to us and we should cultivate them.

 

I pray you find love, encouragement, safety and acceptance in the sacred space of sisterhood. If you are carrying the hurt of having been wounded by a sister, I pray that your heart be mended,  and if necessary that you find forgiveness. I pray you open your heart once again to the possibility of true sisterhood.

 

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What are you doing to ensure your sisterhood soul therapy?

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!

 

Happy to connect with others sharing the Good News Mommy Moments, #LifeGivingLinkup,Purposeful  Faith

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A Little Help From My Friends

I get by with a little help from my friends….

 

So goes the line from a popular song by the Beatles. The song goes on to say I get high with a little help from my friends. Now I’m not sure what type of high they are talking about but the friends I have help me go higher in Christ. My friends pray for me when I have no words, they make me laugh, they selflessly help me and they love me.

 

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

Proverbs 17:17

 

Friendships have always meant the world to me. I have been so blessed throughout my life to have great friendships. From friends that were only in my life a short period to having a life long friend. My bestie and I have been linked together for 35 years now.

 

Friendship is close to the heart of God. We see many examples in the bible of friendships. One example is that of David and Jonathan. Jonathan even risked damaging his relationship with his own father out his loyalty to his friend.

 

But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Proverbs 18:24b

 

A friend corrects when necessary, sharpens, encourages, listens, builds up and loves unconditionally. In good times and bad, a friend is your corner man who cheers you on and patches up your bruises.

 

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:11

 

So to all my friends, you know I love you a ton. I thank God for you in my life. There’s a saying, which says to have a friend you must be a friend. I believe friendships are a necessary part of life and makes traveling the road of life easier. Give the proper investment of time to nurture your friendships. I know there will be seasons that you will be more available or less available than others, but friendships are reciprocal and require maintenance.

 

Since I’ve been blogging, God has connected me virtually with some new friends. I am truly amazed at how God transcends time and space to connect spirits in unity to worship the King and to further His agenda here on earth.

 

I’d like to invite you to visit a few of my blogging friends. With some I connect as a mother, a wife, or a ministry leader. With some I connect over shared experiences. But with all these ladies, we share a deep love of Christ and use the blogging platform to spread the Good News. So pay a visit to my girlfriends and leave them a comment. For indeed the Lord says it is good and pleasant when we dwell together in unity. Like Aaron and Hur holding up Moses’ arms, ladies we are victorious when we hold one another up. So here’s to iron sharpening iron and for being my sister’s keeper.

 

Brandi Jefferson-Motley @ Encouragement for Your Journey

Brandi sings like an angel and prays like a warrior. Her nuggets of encouragement make you want to give the Lord a SHOUT!

 

Tai East @ A SPIRIT-Kissed Soul

Mmm…Tai’s hunger and thirst for God and examination of scripture leaves me looking forward to my quiet time with God, excited for what new revelation I’ll receive.

 

Kelly Balarie @ Purposeful Faith

True humility here. Kelly unabashedly lays out her heart and when she does, God’s love floods her and the reader.

 

Candace @ Candace Creates

My sweet friend Candace is demonstrating that we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. She candidly shares her testimonies and is helping others be free.

 

Susan B. Mead

Susan is a living witness that God gives beauty for ashes and joy for pain.

 

Thanks in advance for visiting my blogging friends.

 

In what ways will you nurture your friendships today?

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!

 

 

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Happy to also connect with these friends sharing the Good News #WordsWithWinter Purposeful Faith, #LifeGivingLinkup

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Whose Arms Are You Lifting?

Four faithful companions. How long did they travel to set their friend at the Master’s feet? Did their arms burn after carrying their amigo an untold number of miles, then waiting an untold number of minutes, then hoisting him atop the roof, then peeling the ceiling apart to finally lower the paralytic down to Jesus. Isn’t this a great illustration for what the Word calls us to do: help the weak, show mercy, bear one another’s burdens, comfort, show care and concern and help in times of trouble?

Perhaps these friends had their own requests for the Master. Imagine finally getting a chance to see the long sought after Messiah! Indeed he was back in Capernum and they wouldn’t miss him this time. Perhaps they too had afflictions: a disabled child, a sick relative, out of work. But for now, their issues were of no consequence. Self-interests and comforts were set aside to assist.

 

How free are we to minister to the hearts of the hurting if we are TOO consumed with our own issues?

 

Whose arms are you lifting?

When the Amalekites attacked the Israelites, as long as Moses had his staff raised they won the battle. But such is life, we get weary, we get tired. It is in those troubling times that God sends the arm lifters, the burden bearers. Aaron and Hur came alongside Moses, propped him on a rock and held up his hands until sunset and they were victorious.

Again I ask, whose arms are you lifting?

While we are called to comfort, bear, and encourage one another the only one capable of entirely removing the heavy burden is Jesus himself. The companions of the paralytic did their due diligence in carrying their compadre before the Master but once there, the paralytic himself needed to trust and rely on Jesus not on friends for his healing. And it was his faith in Jesus not in his friends that ensured his healing.

That paralytic’s weight; physical, mental or otherwise was so burdensome it held him to his pallet. Like the gravity keeping you pinned to the steel cage on the Zero Gravity (aka Round Up) ride at the amusement park, His back clung to the pallet, only being delivered by the most powerful force, a word from the Master. O the thrill to get on my favorite ride at Canobie Lake Park in New Hampshire, the Round Up. The ride begins by spinning until the centrifugal force is enough to push you against the wall. By then, the friction between your back and the wall holds you there.

It is only by the power of the Holy Spirit that we can be ‘freed’ from the pinning gravity of the Round Up.

Your friends can carry you, they lighten the weight of your burden but the next step is up to you.

 

Cast your cares on Him for he cares for you.

 

Take His yoke upon you.

 

Trade with Him a garment of praise for a spirit of heaviness.

 

Your heavenly Father is waiting. He is your burden bearer. Unload your baggage, lighten up and experience His rest.

Back to our paralytic friend for a minute. The scriptures says he saw THEIR faith, not just the faith of the paralytic but that of his friends as well. While he only spoke to the paralytic directly, he may have rewarded the friends as well for their demonstration of faith. (Mark 2:1-12)

Thoughts to ponder…

Have you made yourself available to be a burden bearer?

Are you casting your cares on Him?

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!

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