Providential Relationships - testimony part 2

Thought I would add part 2 to my testimony here on the blog. As I share a little bit of each of these 5 areas that tend to be ways or tools that God uses to grow our faith, you might find yourself thinking about your own personal testimony. Let me challenge you to share your testimony on your blog (if you have one). I remember one day clicking from blog to blog and I found one that had a side button that basically said "Click HERE for my testimony". Of course I clicked and was immediately blessed to read about how God had worked in some one's life to draw them closer to Him. I still follow that blog to this day and it has been neat to see God continually work in that person's life.

As I think back through different relationships that I have had with people, there is one in particular that I think of as a PROVIDENTIAL RELATIONSHIP. Now I am sure I could go on and on about different friends that have influenced me in positive ways, but I want to share about just one PROVIDENTIAL RELATIONSHIP. This is a person that God put in my path, that forever changed my future. Kind of like a God ordained connection.

I already shared in part one of my testimony that I grew up in a positive Christian home and we were involved in different churches along the years. When I was in high school, we were attending a church with an active youth group and that youth group is where I found most of my close friends and connections. When I was a freshman, I approached a youth leader (not even the youth pastor, just a lay leader) to see if she would be interested in "mentoring" or disciplining me. She graciously said yes and that began a PROVIDENTIAL RELATIONSHIP. We met almost every Saturday morning, often with another friend of mine, for breakfast. We went through different Bible study type books from time to time, in fact I don't really remember any one in particular. I just remember our times together. Where she encouraged me and spurred me on to a deeper relationship with Christ. God used that friendship in a significant way to give me a thirst for the Word and a hunger for that close relationship with Himself. I saw in her a woman who loved her Lord and lived for Him.

I am grateful for the time that my dear friend Lesli took to invest in me. I know it was a sacrifice on her part. Time away from her family and her life. Time to spend with an awkward teen age girl who was trying to find her way.

I love how God allows us to walk along the path with others in life and do life together. It makes me think of 2 things. One, I need to be willing to invest in others. To take them out, and treat them to a meal every now and then. To be interested in someone other than myself. To hopefully be that kind of an example to someone else. Two, I need to make sure I expose my kids to others that can be that kind of an influence on them. Not to feel threatened by the friendship, but grateful for the person who will invest in them and be their PROVIDENTIAL RELATIONSHIP.