Friends of God

"So now we can rejoice in our

wonderful new relationship with God

because our Lord Jesus Christ 

has made us friends of God."

(Romans 5:11)

Friends - the very word implies warmth and closeness. Not strangers, but friends. We are called friends of God! Is it any wonder that when we are out in the magnificent beauty that He has created, that we are drawn even closer to God? That a peace and calm envelops our very souls? His majestic creation is a visible picture of His power and His love for us. 

I cannot get enough of this Love. Through the varying seasons, months, and days - whether we are out in His awesome creation, or at work or at home, we can live and breathe in the best of friendships.

"For we know how dearly God loves us,

because He has given us the Holy Spirit

to fill our hearts with His Love."

(Romans 5:5)

Thank You Lord, for the unbelievable privilege of being friends with God - for this closest of relationships that we can walk with and live in through this coming week. Thank You for the gifts of this past week ... for Your Word, active and living as I am reading, and writing, my way through Romans - for the warmth from our wood stove, used for the first time this season - for our meeting with a new volunteer, with a burden for students in the Bellevue area - for more Cru office work done - a new kitchen knife set - our roof shingles replaced after a bad hailstorm in the spring, in time for the winter - more digital scrapbook learning - two grandkids here overnight - good connections with a son home from San Francisco - a fun family lunch together at Red Robin - official news that a daughter in TX passed her medical testing, and she can be a kidney donor for her sweet 15 year-old daughter, our granddaughter - baking of pumpkin bread for now and in the freezer - cleaning of kitchen windows, a needed fall cleaning - Sunday lunch with friends, needing listening ears and encouragement - the purchase of A Million Little Ways and following along with this book club selection on the InCourage blog.

(Photo above: taken at beautiful Grand Lake, Colorado)