The distance from here to there is far.
The narrow path weaves itself, winding close beside the face of the rock, intimately hugging the Son’s presence as we traverse.
Every creature.
Every one of us.
Truly, only the fallen humans can experience His amazing grace and gift of Salvation.
Every individual. 
The walk simply begins—a step; yet, even so, the walk demands, not for the fainthearted, but for those who have chosen to commit. 
The haven, the refuge, the security, and the peace come only through the joy found in Him.
There—humanity finds her rest and her restoration, and there she finds goodness, as well as pure delight.

I wonder, when considering the beauty of God, what image does our mind display and what earthly vision reveals His magnificence?

If we shut our eyes, if we cover our faces with our hands, and if we concentrate, searching for one solitary image—What vision do we choose?

I readily know my choice.
I readily see my image.
Whether with my eyes wide open or even with my eyes squeezed tightly shut, the image remains and never disappears from my memory nor from my mind.

Good Friendships. Best Friendships. Those we love, but also those we are not required by human blood to love. Those who we love because we share in His Salvation, because we share in the covering of His blood, and because He has brought us into a deep, lovely relationship with our best friend.

Hadiah came into our life when Sydney was small, when they met and worshipped together inside the LORD’S house.
Young Hadiah came into our life when both girls were preteens, when they were just discovering what life had for each of them.
Hadiah walked in, and for that, we are forever thankful she did.
Assuredly, Hadiah came into Sydney’s life, and blessedly they have never parted, never left the beauty of the sisterhood, the friendship God designed.

When considering both the childhood and the young adult friendship of Hadiah and Sydney, I find myself remembering the two girls as children. I see how they “dressed up,” only to place their rain boots upon their feet and traipse outside into the woods where they set up the tripod and camera to take photos in the early morning light.

In further recalling their photoshoot, I see them later climbing atop Darrell’s old John Deere tractor, where they snap candid shots, blending the beauty of the girls with the old-faded green of the tractor.

As my mind wanders back in time, I can hear their giggles long into the night as I drift off to sleep, thankful to God above who gave sweet Hadiah to my Sydney and my beautiful Sydney to Rebecca’s Hadiah. Yes, thank You, God, for this most precious friendship has endured a distance of miles as they pursued their university study in separate cities. Their friendship has not grown weaker but stronger as they began to date and fall in love with the man of their dreams.

Even now, years later, their close friendship remains.

And so, yesterday evening, the sun was setting as I drove toward Julie’s home, toward my best friend’s home. As I gazed toward the western sky, I could see the bright red hues of God’s glorious sky-painting, giving us a reminder of the glorious day, Only He can gift us to enjoy.  God’s glory permeated my mind as I drove, and certainly, I struggled to look out the front windshield for constantly gazing off to my right, looking toward the magnificent sunset. Even when I turned onto the parkway, traveling east, I found my eyes drawn to the side mirror where I caught glimpses of the fading red sunset of the evening sky. The Eastern sky & the Western sky—Daily they shout praises to God, to His amazing gifts found within our lives. These precious gifts from God are often seen simply through the sky’s display..
It is in that drive last evening that my thoughts turned toward friendships and how much they are like God’s beautiful sunsets.  Yes, friendships are reminders of God’s compassion and care for us.

In saying the sunset was gorgeous, no words begin to describe just HOW BEAUTIFUL the sunset was to me as I began to consider the person I was going to see—JULIE, my very best friend.

“LORD, I offer up my praise today for the way You continually bless our friendship with Your grace.
We are not perfect, and often, we allow days to slip by without sharing time; yet still we know the other is there, readily available to listen to our words, to encourage, and to share the moments of our days.
Julie is there……my friend.
She is there like the rising sun and she is there at the day’s end with the setting sun.
Her beauty is precious to our eyes, and we are drawn to the graceful way she trusts and obeys her Savior.”

My Sydney would speak the same about her best friend, Hadiah, sharing how Hadiah’s beauty is a precious sight in her eyes, how she is more than excited that Hadiah will soon come to her far-away home, how her dear friend displays gracefulness and faith placed within her trust in Almighty God.

Truly—Friendship is a ministry, one we can enjoy as a refuge. &
Friendship is a ministry, one we can experience as only the Father could design.
Friendship with another allows us to minister to one another, realizing how their friendship makes us better through its existence.

Though distance of miles separates these two girls for now, Hadiah & Sydney find value in tightly holding onto the gift God has provided through their friendship.

In searching within the Bible, we find a passage written by King David reminding us how friendships endure time and space. Read God’s Word with me.

Hadiah brought the sun’s set and Sydney the sun’s rise, and together they create a beautiful day

Friendship reminds us of God’s goodness and encourages us to walk better, true, more faithfully. 
Friendship offers a refuge of peace, and we are so overcome with His peace when we are sharing time with another. 

“LORD, let us cling tightly to the dearest of dear friends God provides.
Let us be reminded that we have a primary responsibility to encourage one another as we walk together through life. 
Let us recall how God’s Holy Scripture instructs us how to love.
Let us image the strength we constantly receive as we build up and find rest within one another’s presence.
Help us to not judge our dearest friends, but help us love, realizing how we too are flawed.
And when time permits, let us eagerly Facetime, stop by, or write a letter—reminding our friend how God continues to bless our life with the presence of a them. 
Yes, LORD, we ask You to help us not take our best friends for granted.

Thank you God for Sydney’s friend, Hadiah.  Even though they are separated by land and by sea, still You hold them together through Your love. ‘[And God, only] You make the dawn and the sunset shout for joy.”

You do, God! Only You can control the sun’s movement and only You can gift us, with the friendship we see between our two girls: our Sydney and our Hadiah. Thank You God.”