The Fab 5: Do You Have Them?

"...because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me." Luke 11:6 (NIV)

Regardless of our schedules, we get together every 6-8 weeks.

Without fail.

All five of us.

The Fab 5.

That's what we call our band of five, dear friends, who have gone through wonder-filled joys and tough life situations together.

Devastating fire, divorce, family issues, adoption, Jesus encounters, faith struggles, career achievements, and much more.

The super glue or primacord of relationships.

We met when we landed in the same Bible Study Fellowship class three years ago. Let me tell you, studying Moses and the Pentateuch for nine months changes your life.

It brought ours together.

With Jesus at the center.

That class formed a bond between us so much so that we started doing things together outside of class. Now we make getting together regularly a priority.

We rotate around to each other's homes to share lunch on a Sunday afternoon, exchange a $10 gift around the theme set by the hostess, and catch up on life. (Yes, a theme is important because we get to decorate and make theme-related goodies to enjoy together! It's a girl thing...)

That's us above (L to R): Jennie, Lindsey, me, Bre, and Annie (and yes, those are red feather birds in our hair).

All of us marvel at how God knit our hearts together so quickly and solidly. We've been through heartbreaks and tremendous joys together.

I hope you have a Fab 5. A group of friends that, no matter what, will show up on your doorstep at a moment's notice to help or celebrate.

Pray for you when life knocks the wind out of you.

Encourage you when discouragement seeps in.

Squeal with you like a girl when joy cannot be contained.

Have conversations about nothing that mean everything.

I thank God for these incredible women and our friendship. They are such sweet reflections of Jesus.

And His great love.

Let's chat: Do you have a Fab 5? Who are they? How did you meet? What keeps you together?
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Because He First Loved Us

My love language is gifts.

From sentimental keepsakes to silly trinkets - gifts delight me. In fact, for at least the past three Christmases, I have successfully crafted and offered reasons to my closest friends on why we should exchange gifts early.

I can come up with all kinds of excuses, but my real motive is to see what’s inside the package.

The content is oftentimes irrelevant – it could be a pack of gum. It’s the fact that, when the busyness of life separated us, they thought of me. Expended time, energy and resources to remember me.

To let me know I matter to them.

God thought of us while we were separated from Him by sin. Thought enough of us to give us a Gift.

But the content of His Gift was anything but irrelevant.

This Gift? The most priceless, unique treasure that He had – His one and only Son. And God’s real motive is for us to receive what’s inside the package.

Not because we earned it.

Or deserve it.

Simply because He loves us.

No return payment required. 

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

The Greek word (didomi) for “gave” in John 3:16 means to bestow a gift or to supply and furnish necessary things.

If anything, Jesus is absolutely necessary to every one of us.

Necessary to live fully.

Love lavishly.

Forgive wholeheartedly.

God gave.

We did not take or destroy.

God gave us His one and only Son. Not one of many – His only.

The only thing that God had in limited supply.

God’s most valuable item.

God has plenty of everything since He created all things. To give us His Son was the only sacrifice He could make. For 33 years, God went without that fellowship in heaven until Jesus’ crucifixion, resurrection, and return.

God didn’t give us an inanimate object.

He gave us His living, breathing, only Son.

THAT is true, soul-deep love.

And the best Valentine ... for all eternity.
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