I came here from your interview with Amy. Thank you for telling your side of this friendship story. I was abandoned by my best friend five years ago, and while the pain is not as fresh or consuming, it lingers. I have often wondered how she remembers/interprets her actions. I'll be mulling over the concept of "redeeming the time" applied to that lost relationship. It is also freeing--it's God's work to redeem that time, not mine. Your honesty blessed me.
I'm so glad my post spoke to you, Melody -- though I'm also sorry you can relate to it. It's so painful, isn't it. Thanks for reading the post and leaving this comment; I really appreciate it.
Happy birthday, dear Jeannie. This post is certainly at the intersection of bitter and sweet. It stirs up a lot of emotion for me (in a good way… in a God troubling the water kind of way) and I, too, feel less alone.
The loss of a friend is so hard. I have lost several. I like your reminder about feeling what we feel. I'm always trying to "fix" my feelings instead of letting them be whatever they are. I'm working on this. I also needed the reminder about God's slow work. I am impatient and become disheartened when I don't see immediate action.
I get that, Kellie. I just want to understand things and I find it very difficult when they don't make sense. Especially when it's a close relationship. Thanks for reading and commenting.
Oh my: healing, forgiving, accepting--all this 'slow work.' If only we could give ourselves over wholly to process, 'that is to say, grace and circumstances acting on [our] own goodwill.' Or is it good will?
Jeannie, I hear the ache in this post. The loss is so real and it never goes away.
The story being told in a way that doesn’t reflect reality being the most jolting is something I identify with so deeply. This is why I’m doing the work I do.
I wish I could share those meals with you and talk with you in person during this season. Thank God for social media. I’m always here. Not to replace, but to redeem the time. Love you.
Hi Jeannie- I love this beautifully and sensitively written post regarding relational loss, conflicting emotions, and learming to live with ambiguity and uncertainty in some seasons of our lives; seasons that can seem to stretch out into long periods of time.
I found what you wrote resonated deeply with me; I feel so comforted by these words. I feel less alone and realize it is quite a natural human experience to go through this type of loss.
I absolutely love the quote you featured in your post. I am going to write it out and keep it in a place where I will come across it and read it again often.
Dear Julia - so glad this spoke to you and that you found it helpful. Isn't the quote beautiful? I could actually only remember the line "Trust the slow work of God," and when I googled that I got the whole thing and realized how wise and encouraging it is. Thanks for reading and commenting. xo
I came here from your interview with Amy. Thank you for telling your side of this friendship story. I was abandoned by my best friend five years ago, and while the pain is not as fresh or consuming, it lingers. I have often wondered how she remembers/interprets her actions. I'll be mulling over the concept of "redeeming the time" applied to that lost relationship. It is also freeing--it's God's work to redeem that time, not mine. Your honesty blessed me.
I'm so glad my post spoke to you, Melody -- though I'm also sorry you can relate to it. It's so painful, isn't it. Thanks for reading the post and leaving this comment; I really appreciate it.
Happy birthday, dear Jeannie. This post is certainly at the intersection of bitter and sweet. It stirs up a lot of emotion for me (in a good way… in a God troubling the water kind of way) and I, too, feel less alone.
Thank you, Heidi. ❤️ I appreciate being on life's journey alongside you. "Our salvation is bound up together as we walk through this wilderness..."
I too hear the sadness and grief of this loss. Thanks for the beautiful post about trusting in the slow redeeming process of a loving God.
Thank you, my friend. I treasure you!
The loss of a friend is so hard. I have lost several. I like your reminder about feeling what we feel. I'm always trying to "fix" my feelings instead of letting them be whatever they are. I'm working on this. I also needed the reminder about God's slow work. I am impatient and become disheartened when I don't see immediate action.
I get that, Kellie. I just want to understand things and I find it very difficult when they don't make sense. Especially when it's a close relationship. Thanks for reading and commenting.
I think the term works both ways: goodwill, good will.
Oh my: healing, forgiving, accepting--all this 'slow work.' If only we could give ourselves over wholly to process, 'that is to say, grace and circumstances acting on [our] own goodwill.' Or is it good will?
xx
Yes, good will. And yes, it's a process, slow and so often not linear. Thanks for reading and commenting, Anne.
Jeannie, I hear the ache in this post. The loss is so real and it never goes away.
The story being told in a way that doesn’t reflect reality being the most jolting is something I identify with so deeply. This is why I’m doing the work I do.
I wish I could share those meals with you and talk with you in person during this season. Thank God for social media. I’m always here. Not to replace, but to redeem the time. Love you.
Thanks so much, Lindsay – I receive that. I appreciate your friendship greatly. ❤️
Sorry about the break up off a friend! It is not fun!!!
Thank you, Alison – I appreciate your comment.
Hi Jeannie- I love this beautifully and sensitively written post regarding relational loss, conflicting emotions, and learming to live with ambiguity and uncertainty in some seasons of our lives; seasons that can seem to stretch out into long periods of time.
I found what you wrote resonated deeply with me; I feel so comforted by these words. I feel less alone and realize it is quite a natural human experience to go through this type of loss.
I absolutely love the quote you featured in your post. I am going to write it out and keep it in a place where I will come across it and read it again often.
Thank you for this.
Dear Julia - so glad this spoke to you and that you found it helpful. Isn't the quote beautiful? I could actually only remember the line "Trust the slow work of God," and when I googled that I got the whole thing and realized how wise and encouraging it is. Thanks for reading and commenting. xo