Bracelet of Friendship

Things are very busy for my family and I right now. We are busy with preparations for many things and I'm trying hard to focus my attention firmly on them, yet approach it with a healthy heart, instead of a sub-standard one. Thought I would drop a quick note to say, "No, I haven't fall off the end of the earth...I'm still kicking around, just really busy preparing to do God's work in a variety of ways and most importantly, trying to be on my A game in my most important life ministry - wife, mom and all those other roles.

Our major focus of attention is planning for our trip in August. This would be a tidbit of information about what we are embarking on:

"We will be part of a missions team, which will travel to Sri Lanka during the month of August. We’ve been called to minister in a variety of ways on this trip. Part of our team will be providing leadership and teaching for a Young Adults’ camp, as well as teaching and relationship building at a Family Camp. Mr. Cinder, I and other team members will be ministering to the children Family Camp. We will also have the opportunity to visit many of the Sri Lankan churches, partake in worship services with them and have the chance to experience the people and their country."

The picture above is what I call my "Bracelet of Friendship". All of our church's small group leaders have began to wear a bracelet, so as we go out into the summer and even during the ministry year, we'll remember each of those people and be lifting each other up in prayer. For me, especially the last few weeks, as we've been travelling on the weekends and will continue to throughout the summer, it serves as a reminder to pray for all the families of our church. It reminds me of the blessings God has bestowed upon me and my family through this fellowship and the clear devotion and responsibility we have to walk alongside each other, unified in friendship and love. It's a biblical command, one which I was reminded of earlier this week, as a friend read a scripture passage during a time of prayer.

I know this post has went in all directions...sorry, but right now my mind is functioning that way. I guess that's the bottom line of this post...my mind is focused ministry-wise right now and so even though I might not be around the blogging world much in the next while, I do think of my blogging friends often...you too are part of my "Bracelet of Friendship". Pretty soon my "Bracelet of Friendship" will include some friends who live around the other side of the world and that truly exciting and very humbling all in the same sense.

Remember to allow God to increase your "Bracelet of Friendship". As the summer begins, continue to remember our biblical responsibility to walk alongside each other in unity, friendship and love and lift your church family up, even though you might be absent from your fellowship's meeting place, due to vaction and all that the summer might hold for you.

Blessings to you all...may you be blanketed with God's love, peace and protection!

Ephesians 4:2-8(NIV)
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says: "When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men."