Thankful

I just wanted to post about my friend Jill. She's such an incredible woman of God. She spurs me on "toward love and good deeds." She speaks truth to me. She cries with me, she prays for me, she doesn't offer empty encouragement but strikes at the root of the lies that grow in my heart. She's a living example of iron sharpening iron. Tonight, she took a chance and called me on the state of my heart. This opened the door to me being honest about where I've been spiritually, which hasn't been where I needed to be. I haven't let anyone else in that much. Her spiritual wisdom, our 8 year friendship, and her compassionate heart make her a safe person for me to real with. At one point in the conversation, I told her I've been feeling envious of my clients for having the opportunity to take an hour for themselves every week to focus on how they're doing and have truth and grace spoken to them. I focus so much on others that I often turn off my own feelings. And I don't let myself receive grace and love from others. I told Jill that she gave me that gift tonight. She was the answer to my prayer that God would break me and convict me and bring me to Him. She is such a blessing in my life. I wish Ohio and Nebraska were closer... sort of like when she lived in Clayton Hall and I lived in Myers Hall in college. They were right next to each other - just like Fairborn, OH and Lincoln, NE should be.