When I first met Janice, I didn't particularly like her. I really don't know why, but she just didn't seem to be someone I could ever have a friendship with, so I didn't try. She was dating a boy I went to church with, and after dating him for a while, she was baptized. Our lives soon took a similar path, as she became engaged about the same time I did, and her wedding was two weeks before mine. I got to know her a little better during that time, but still, I did not feel particularly drawn to her.
Several months after Jeff and I married and we were living in Dallas, Janice and her husband moved there as well. They began worshiping with the same congregation, and it was then that our friendship began to form. Our husbands were instant friends and tennis buddies, so Janice and I would visit while the guys competed. As I got to know her, what I found was refreshing. She had a heart that was tender to God's Word, and she applied herself diligently to the study of it. She did not have the blessing I did of growing up in a Christian home, but she didn't let that stop her from throwing herself wholly into His service. I was amazed at the rapidity of her growth in Christ. I soon found it easy to share my heart with her, and we formed a very close friendship.
Over the next few years, our friendship grew. I have so many wonderful memories of those early married days, and spending time with Janice and Lawrence. They became family. We had a ton of good, happy times full of laughter. And we also both suffered together through some really tough times. She was there for me when I suffered a miscarriage, and I was there for her when she went through a very difficult family tragedy. All of those things strengthened our friendship.
Years passed, and times changed. She moved south, and I moved north, but we continued to share that special bond. We talked on the phone at least weekly, and we got together every chance we could. Times changed even more as children were born, I moved back south, and she moved out of state. We both became busy with our individual lives, and the obligations we have to our families. We don't talk weekly anymore, and we don't get to see each other much at all. But when I do have the opportunity to talk to her, we easily pick up where we left off.
I have learned a lot from Janice. I learned that first impressions are not always right, and that it takes spending time with people to really get to know them. Janice taught me openness in expressing love. From her I learned that it really doesn't matter where you are on the scale of Christian maturity, we can always grow at whatever rate our desire leads us to. She showed me that people with good, honest hearts still exist, and that those are hearts that are ripe for receiving the gospel. She continues to show me how a life of service to God's people is richly rewarding. I love Janice, and I'm thankful for her presence in my life. And I'm really thankful I overcame my first impressions - how less my life would be if I had never called Janice "friend."
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