How can a thing become an Old Friend? I’m not really sure, but this sewing machine was my Old Friend. I got it in 1976 when I was a senior in high school. I paid $100 for the machine and the cabinet; a lot of money for an 18 year-old working a part-time job.

I wanted to learn to sew and now with my New Friend at my side, I enrolled in an evening Singer class where there were only a few students. Each student in the class had ample individualized time with the instructor because of the ratio. I learned tips and tricks that got me started on the path to becoming a beginner seamstress. My Old Friend never laughed when I sewed my corduroy skirt with the knap going in opposite directions, or when I had to rip out the same sleeve three times to get it to hang straight. No, it just kept helping me to make beautiful things from pieces of fabric all those years.

I wish I knew how many miles I put on that Old Friend! In the past 37 years, I’ve made dresses, blouses, skirts, aprons, curtains, baby dresses, doll dresses, bags, a partial quilt (still working on that one!), pillow cases, napkins, a coat and many Halloween outfits. I taught my daughters to sew on my Old Friend. It has given me hours and hours of sewing pleasure with very little mechanical difficulties. It was a faithful Old Friend.

Yesterday I sold my Old Friend.  Gulp. I felt like a piece of me left with it. It probably sounds silly to others, and frankly, I was surprised at the emotion that gathered in my throat when I watched it being carried out to the buyer’s car. We’d had many hours together, me and my Old Friend. I was young when we became acquainted. It got me through many seasons in my life.

Hmmmm, kind of reminds me of a mentor, a discipler, if you will. A disciple sticks with another person to teach, encourage, and be there through the seasons of their life. They don’t laugh or ridicule when mistakes are made; they are faithful to stay by your side, cheering and motivating the next right step. I’ve had mentors like that – my mom, another pastor’s wife and others. But I wonder to how many women have I been an Old Friend? There’s nothing like a that kind of confidant, who will instruct and guide, pray and help, smile and encourage through every stage and phase you go through.

My “Old Friend” was just a machine, but my real “Old Friends” were anything but mechanical – they dealt with me from the heart. That’s the best part of an Old Friend. Your hearts are connected in Christ. A true friend will always point you back to Him.

Are you being an Old Friend to another woman? I don’t mean just a buddy, I’m talking about discipling someone. No matter your age, there’s someone younger than you are that needs just what you have to share – your heart. Won’t you prayerfully consider someone to whom you could be an Old Friend?

Oh, and by the way, a dear lady gave me a new sewing machine recently. It does all kinds of fancy stitches and tricks! I see a new friendship in the making!

Have you had someone who invested in your life and is an “Old Friend” to you? I’d love to hear how she impacted your life!

With love,

For years my husband has told the “story” of a man who died and was buried in his Cadillac. His buddy came to the funeral and when he saw his friend lying there in his Cadillac he said, “Man, he sure is living!”

What is really living? What does it look like?

 Yesterday when I read Proverbs chapter 12, I thought of what good advice the last verse in the chapter is for anyone who wants to know how to approach life as a believer; to know what it’s like to truly live. It’s the best advice for a single person, a married couple, a young person or someone up in years. It’s the same for all of us. Here’s what the first part of the verse says…

If life is found “in the way of righteousness,” what is the way? It’s only when we are right with God that we can even be called righteous, so that’s the first point. This is a person who has accepted Christ’s sacrifice on the cross as payment for their sins. They are now right with God. Then to continue “in the way,” we obey God’s Word and His Word says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” It is by faith that we are saved, and we must continue to live believing God for everything in our lives.

Being in full-time ministry, I can’t remember a time that my husband and I haven’t had to live by faith. We stepped out into our first ministry unsure of how we would make ends meet, but we knew we had God’s promise to provide all our needs. Many, many times we have had to pray and wait on God to supply for every day needs, funds for camp for our girls, books for school, or money for a bill and God has always been faithful.

Even now, as we’ve embarked out into the realm of purchasing a home, we have PRAYED (my request began 10 years ago!), waited, prayed, looked, prayed, offered, prayed, waited and THEN we saw God provide the perfect house at the perfect time in a way that only He could get the glory!

I know there are many people who have the funds to buy whatever they want, and trusting God really isn’t in their view finder. I’m sorry for them. Watching God at work is incredible! But living a life of faith is more than just money – it’s turning to God about everything – job, church home, vacation, retirement, how to spend the money you do have, investing in others, and day to day decisions.

Are you really living in the way of righteousness? When you are, then and only then are you really living.

Why not embark in that righteous way today? Stop and ask the Lord to reveal how you’re going your own way instead of trusting Him in faith. You’ll find greater joy and fulfillment as you wait on Him to reveal Himself in every area of your life!

With love,