Long Time No See…

I finally caught up with a friend a few days ago that I hadn’t talked to in quite a while. When we first met, we were inseparable. She quickly became one of my closest friends. Then I moved across the country. We barely get to call each other, let alone see each other, because of the distance. It had been a while since we caught up but felt like nothing had changed between us. Even though we are living completely different lives now, we still have a closeness that cannot be broken by distance.

That is the beauty of true friendships. You still love each other, even when you can’t be together because you already have an existing history together. You have memories that make up the cornerstone, or foundation, of your relationship together. After we got off the phone, I thought about how thankful I was that our friendship hasn’t changed while our lives have. I felt God say, “Your relationship with me is no different. But MY cornerstone is so much stronger and I love you so much more.” I GOT CHILLS Y’ALL.

It is so true though! I struggle with this during seasons where I feel myself straying or pulling away from Jesus. I start feeling things like guilt, anxiety, and stress. I begin to forget that our loving Father does not judge us for having a difficult time. He doesn’t stand over us with a report card of how “good” we are or how much we do. He loves us exactly as we are and He knows when we are struggling because He is there right alongside us. And when we are ready to come back, He is there with open arms, putting a robe around our shoulders, and throwing us a party to welcome us home. Just go check out Luke 15:11-32!

No matter how long it has been since we have “caught up” with Him, the love our faithful Father has for us will never change. Our cornerstone is built on Jesus, which is the strongest foundation anyone will ever find. That gives me so much hope. My hope is that it encourages you as well.

As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts!

With love,

Paige Riley