Friends:)

"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." Proverbs 17:17

Our spring break is over, but I had so many good times with friends and family. My sister came into town, and we got to spend a bunch of time together, mostly just hanging out and playing around. It is such a joy to have the kind of relationship with her that is both deeply emotional and lighthearted--she is a delight.

Our good friends from Philadelphia came in also and we were able to hang out with them on three different occasions!! This was huge because they have a lot of family here in STL. It is so wonderful to have them as friends. Our relationship with them, as a couple and individually, over the past two years has been stretched, to say the least. Long distance relationships are HARD, especially for thinkers because we tend to think too practically. I think all four of us are pretty secure in our friendships with one another, and as a result, ironically, we don't dedicate much time to one another.

The adversity that Solomon talks about in the verse above is prevalent in every relationship, and our friendship with Laura and Joel is no exception. But it is so much better to have their friendship in the midst of the challenges than to let it fade away. They provide blessings that we need and can't get from anyone else. As Laura said at breakfast one morning, "we are so thankful to have you as friends, and we recognize how much we need each other as friends." God has provided us for one another and has in His grace made us "born for adversity." He is the Rock that we stand on and the Sustainer of all good things.