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I was recently asked to give my thoughts about being thankful for family and friends at a Thanksgiving service in our church.  Giving my thoughts were a joy for I love my family and friends and I am most thankful for each of them.  

Thankful for Friends and Family

Romans 1:12

“That is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.”

This verse highlights the power of mutual encouragement within friendships. Friends who share their faith can inspire and uplift one another.. 

1 Thessalonians 5:11

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”

It encourages us to actively seek opportunities to build up and support our friends in their pursuits and journeys.

The most quoted verse about friendship is:

13. John 15:13

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

I am most thankful for my friends and my family and sometimes it is difficult to distinguish between the two.  Many of my friends are closer to me than some of my family both in distance and the love we have for each other.  

All of my family members live several hours from me and it is hard to bridge those miles to communicate and interact with each other.  I am thankful for cell phones, computers, and social media that give me ways to talk to and see family members which helps us stay in touch with each other.  

However, it can be difficult to maintain a close relationship many miles from each other. Most of my friends are nearby so we can see and talk with each other often.  Many of them go to church with me or have worked with me and we have much in common with each other.  These are the bonds that hold us together.

Living away from family members most of my life has given me a great appreciation for friends and especially church friends.  After all, we are a family if we are Christians.  You are my brothers and sisters and we help each other, laugh and cry together and share our lives with each other.  You are my family and I thank you and many others in 4 states for caring for me. 

Through the years you, my friends have laughed with me, cried with me, brought me food, sent me notes of encouragement, comforted me, shared your families and carried me when I was exhausted.  Through very hard times of illness and death, you were always there to hold my hand and give me a hug.  That is what being friends is all about loving and caring for each other and rejoicing in the good times.  

However; Family is one of the most important gifts in the world and is a great blessing from God.

1 Corinthians 1:4-5

 Be grateful to God for your family, friends, and loved ones. He fills us all with His grace, and He ignites us with his wise words through prayer and the Bible.

I don’t have a large family and many of us have gone to heaven but the ones I still have here are precious to me though we are miles apart from each other. We live in Arizona, Texas, Alabama, Florida and Georgia.

I have 2 brothers and one went to heaven way too soon, 2 children, 2 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren and not many extended family members.  I am the oldest and the family matriarch which is a lonely place most of the time.  My family calls me "The Queen" although they don't always obey my rulings.

 We seem only to see each other at weddings and funerals and are always happy to get those hugs and kisses and hear what is happening in our lives.  The days we are apart seem to disappear and we are soon saying, “Do you remember when …… and the conversation continues for hours.  I wish we could see each other more often but this the life we have so we deal with it. 

Now that I have married Lindsay, I have an extended family with more to love and be loved.  This has given me a bigger family that I always wanted.  I envy those of you who have large families close by for you enjoy being with each other and watching your families grow.  You are blessed and enjoy each of them.

Thank goodness for phones and computers for through these we can talk to each other and even see other when we chat.  Technology erases the miles and we can see and hear the love we have for each other.  

 

Friends and family - difficult for me to distinguish between the 2 but I do know that I thank God each day for both.  You are a gift from our Heavenly Father and I thank you for being here for me.  Let’s keep on encouraging each other and being that friend that loves at all times.   Love each of you.  

Happy Thanksgiving to each of you and enjoy each other. God is so good to us so don't forget to thank Him.