How Sweet It Is......

I spent last weekend at Temple Gardens Mineral Spa with three sweet friends. It was our first reunion since I moved 3 months ago.
I have to admit that I had some expectations of our time together. And I pictured what it would look like. (Yes I do often forget that I am not God and not in control of everything!)
I imagined that we would encourage each other, spur one another on, pray for each other and have revelation of God's insight, along with fun and relaxation. We did all of these things but not in ways that I expected. Thankfully God is more creative in working things out than I imagine!
One of my highlights was that we shared each others stories, from birth till now. As we listened to one another I marvelled at how blessed I am to know such amazing women. Women who are so full of love from all the joy, hardships, blessings and difficulties that God has walked them through. We laughed, we cried, we celebrated God's grace.
We realized we have become richer, more like Jesus, through the incredulous pain and sorrow we have experienced. We voiced how we would not change most of these things because of the lessons learned and character produced from them.
To know and be known. Isn't that what we long for? I was encouraged and spurred on by unconditional love, these women love me despite myself! It is easy to be with them and reassuring to be known by them.
The blessing of the weekend was an extension of God's love, how He knows me. Psalm 139, vs 1 & 13 give a tiny picture of this amazing truth, 'O Lord, you have searched me and you know me....For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother's womb.'
It can't get any more intimate than that!
All through our weekend together the song How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) kept playing in my mind. I came home and looked up the lyrics. I am sure that Marvin Gaye was singing this to a lover but in the spirit of our friendship, I felt the words were very fitting and God gave them to me for a reason.
' I needed the shelter of someone's arms and there you were,
I needed someone to understand my ups and downs and there you were,
With sweet love and devotion
deeply touching my emotion
I want to stop and thank you baby
I just want to stop and thank you baby
How sweet it is to be loved by you
How sweet it is to be loved by you.'
Thank you to ALL my girlfriends! This journey would be difficult without you. How sweet it is to be loved by you!
Is there someone you need to share God's love with? Is there someone you need to thank for loving you? Are you letting THE ONE who knows you, love you?