Friendship

I have been praying since we moved here for friends. I felt the sting of lonliness about a month after we moved. The initial excitement of the move and all of the newness of everything was wearing off, and reality began setting in.
I came from a church twice the size of the one were at now, that was full of young families my age, and biggest of all, I wasn't the Pastor's wife there (ahhh, the days of being a regular person!) So, moving here, to a small town, a small church full of those of the sunset age (50+) and being the Pastor's wife... I felt pretty lonely.
God has blessed me with a wonderful husband, who is also my best friend, and a girlfriend who I've grown up since junior high and been best friends with since high school. Between the two of them, I have made it through many of life's trials and tribulations, but I still longed for more like-minded fellowship (outside of church services). Well, God has sent me friends since my praying endeavors began, and it's been in some of the most unusual ways.
I've found friendship in one of the seventy year old church elders! (Go figure!) He has been into our home many times and has had a listening ear to many of my sob stories. There is our church's, "Martha," (doesn't every church have at least one of these ladies?) She has been a friend in more practical ways, rather than emotional; but still don't friends come in all forms, in all seasons and in all different kinds of ways. There's been high school and college youth who I have considered friends. They have sat at my dining room table and just wanted to talk about all of the exciting things that life in that stage brings. I have found friends in my kids group that I teach on Wednesday evening. They are usually the first to give a hug or to make me feel special at an unexpected time. Then their is the young moms like me. I have met with a couple of other moms, and it's always an adventure exchanging stories about the different stages our kids are going through, and the crazy and wonderful lives mothers lead. The other place where I have found unexpected fellowship and friendships is online! I think for Pastor's wives, like me, it's a must. Where else can I go and vent about life in the fishbowl?! No one can understand the challenges of the Pastor's wife until they are there themselves...I admit, I never did!
So, God has answered my sobs and pleas for friends in a variety of ways. Many of these friendships I would have never have dreamed of. However, God's used them all to fill my life with the blessings that only friendship can bring!