I Almost Missed It

"Women friends become the face of God to one another- the face of grace, of delight, of mercy." --Stasi Eldridge

The coffee is brewing. Not just the typical 2 cup brew I do most mornings. No, on Wednesday mornings it is a full 12 cup pot.

The water is on for tea. This is not typical of any other morning but this one. The variety of teas are set out for the choosing.

Some weeks there are muffins. Some there are not. Some weeks the house is clean and ready. Some weeks not as much as I would like. Some weeks there are things we want to follow up on and discuss. Some weeks the conversation just takes on a life of it's own.

When we first started meeting we barely knew each other. Although I am a natural extrovert, I was scared and intimidated to initiate the plan. It felt awkward. It felt uncomfortable to ask. I was very unsure of the response.

The three of us first met each other in January during a parenting class my husband and I were facilitating. It was a class to reach out to those in the community. It turned out to be mostly mothers attending so my husband dropped back a bit while I continued in the faciliator role.

It was just a 4 week class. It was for an hour and a half every week. It went quickly. We were soon done. However, my heart did not feel done with these ladies. I continued to be drawn to them. I longed to reach out to them in friendship.

I prayed about it. I thought about it. I tried to make excuses of why it couldn't work. And yet, I knew that my heart was being told to obey something my mind wanted to resist. I knew I was to invite them into my home.

They are mother's of pre-schoolers. I learned their children have the same pre-school schedule. I knew they were child free on Wednesday mornings.

They are mother's who just need a moment of adult time, of girl time, of time for them. I remember that stage well. I knew that I was to invite them to my home on Wednesday morning for just that.

No agenda. No plans. No schedule. No children. Just time to have a cup of coffee... or 2, kick off our shoes, sit, talk and relax.

Due to the fact I barely knew them made the invitation quite awkward. What would they think? How would they respond? Did they have Wednesday mornings free? Would they even be interested. And yet, I felt God telling me to ask. And so... I did.

They eagerly responded. We have been meeting. Our short time together has already allowed me to walk alongside each of them with some big life issues. A husband preparing to deploy for a year in Iraq. A 9 year old son with heart surgery. A new job. Decisions. Children issues...

Tears have been shed. Laughter has been had. Feedback has been requested. Opinions have been given. Moms are relaxing. Hearts are connecting.

There is still at least one more to come. We eagerly await the attendance of yet another mom that plans on coming in the next few weeks after getting back on her feet from just having had a baby.

During this short time I have found that I view our Wednesday morning times as something to look forward to instead of one more thing in my schedule. I have come, very quickly, to love these dear ladies. I pray for them. I pray that as we build friendships and relationships, they will learn of and seek the most important relationship of all... with Jesus Christ.

I admit personal fear almost kept me from doing such a simple thing. Selfishness of not wanting something else in my schedule almost convinced me I didn't have time for this. Now I wonder, how could I not have had time to be with these ladies?

I almost missed it.

Look around you. Is someone hurting? Is someone tired? Is someone needing a friend, a listening ear? Does someone need a safe place to share and at the same time be handed a box of tissues? Does someone just need a cup of coffee and comfortable place to sit and rest from the things of life for a short time?

How can you reach out and meet that need? It doesn't have to be something formal. It doesn't have to be something that takes a lot of planning. It doesn't take much. It might even be as simple as a smile. How can you be "the face of God- the face of grace, of delight, of mercy" to someone... even today?

"Women friends become the face of God to one another- the face of grace, of delight, of mercy." --Stasi Eldridge