friendship

Sorry, but I love you.

Sorry, but I love you.

I’m sorry to get so fired up, but I love you.

 

That was how a friend ended a page long text to me.

 

She had only asked how I was doing,

probably expecting a normal upbeat response.

 

But she caught me in a moment of hurt.

And she’s the kind of friend you tell things to.

 

So I gave her a brief explanation of what had happened

and how much guilt I was feeling about the situation.

 

I had interrupted her day and her own struggles with my problems, 

and she had every right to brush me off.

 

To just say “it will be ok” or “don’t worry about it.”

But instead, she spoke back with so much truth.

Truth about God.

Truth about the situation.

And truth about my character.

 

She didn’t bad mouth the other people involved.

She didn’t say I was in the right just to make me feel better.

 

But she spoke truth.

 

Truth that I needed to hear.

Truth that I read over and over again that day.

Do you have someone in your life to speak truth into you?

If you do, what a blessing.

And if you don’t, maybe now is the time to invest in a sweet new friendship.

 

Because hear me when I say, it matters.

It matters who you surround yourself with.

 

It matters that you surround yourself with people who lift you up 

instead of tearing you down.

 

It matters that you surround yourself with people who speak truth into you

rather than just telling you what you want to hear.

 

It matters that you surround yourself with people who pray for you 

instead of talking about you behind your back.

 

It matters that you surround yourself with people who are in your corner,

through the good and the bad.

 

It matters that you surround yourself with people

who get fired up when you are hurting.

 

Because they love you that much.

 

 

Posted by Leanne DeKay in Relationships
It was Draining

It was Draining

For awhile, I tried to keep up with everyone. 

I made sure I got invited to all the important events by all the right people.

I only hung out with people who had the right status.

 

Laughed at all of the jokes at other people’s expense.

 

Walked into places with groups acting like we owned the place.

Pretended to have fun.

 

But secretly thinking about all of the things I would rather be doing.

The people I would rather be with.

 

It was draining.

 

Maybe you have never felt that way before.

Maybe you enjoy keeping up with everyone.

You might even be the one everyone else is trying to keep up with.

 

That’s ok too. That is completely fine.

But maybe you’re like me.

Maybe you want something different.

 

Maybe instead of partying, 

you want to watch the sunset and go stargazing.

 

Instead of being invited to all the right events,

you want to go to Friday night football games and town celebrations.

 

Instead of hanging out with people who help your social status, 

you want to spend time with people you don’t have to try with.

 

Rather than making crude jokes about other people,

you want to be with people who make you genuinely laugh.

 

Maybe you want to talk about joys, struggles, life.

Go ahead.

You don’t need my permission, but I’m giving it to you anyway.

 

Find people who are looking for the same thing (I promise you, they are out there),

and make it happen.

 

Plan a road trip.

Set up a card night.

Find a new recipe to cook together.

Go to all the town events.

Have a bonfire.

Go stargazing.

Talk about something deeper.

 

Stop draining yourself by trying to keep up with everyone else.

Instead, let people in who will fill you up.

 

 

 

Posted by Leanne DeKay in Relationships