“Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” {John 15:13, NASB}

Everything was unfamiliar to me.

The sounds. The smells. Even the people seemed different here.

We didn’t know a single person, my husband and I, in this giant city with fast moving cars and people rushing to get from one destination to another.

There were millions of us, like scattered ants on a hillside, busily doing, hardly noticing, barely looking up to catch our eye or acknowledge our existence.

We had just relocated from 5 states away, where my husband completed his work-related training program. Now, staring at all the empty moving boxes that we had unpacked in our tiny apartment, I couldn’t help but feel a little empty myself.

Even though my husband was with me, my one and only friend in this city, I needed a female friend. Almost a necessary ache lay within me to find at least one whom I could connect with.

I believe God has crafted us as women not only to desire fellowship with other daughters of the King, but it’s necessary for our survival.

Ladies, we are meant for community. And I longed for a female friend. The season of depression I was facing was too much for me to bear alone. I needed someone I could connect with in this unfamiliar environment I now called home. So I prayed: “God, please, I need a friend.”

A simple request on the surface, but the depth to those words were unfathomable.

My husband and I decided to visit a new-to-us church that Sunday morning. By surprise we showed up with not merely 100 people like we were used to in our old church, but thousands praising Jesus with upright hands in the pews! You’d think with so many excited, happy faces praising Jesus would give me hope for finding just one friend in this crowd, but instead, overwhelmed feelings enveloped me and I felt a sense of despair.

The enemy was trying to play against my deepest core issue of feeling insignificant in the crowd. He was shrewdly succeeding, too, until a moment later I noticed a familiar face among the crowd.

“Can it be?” I thought to myself.

We were created by God with an innate need to be connected together as women . . . to share our emotions and stories, to inspire and find encouragement together in the storms and chaos of life. Don’t let the fears of investing in other women’s hearts override the necessary need we have to feel loved and be loved by one another.

God is love, therefore, we ought to love like daughters of the King and believe that love will cover all wrongs. Be transparent, share the laughter and tears, praises and fears. Hold hands when turbulence comes. Display love, because Jesus first loved us.

She looked toward me and our eyes connected. A spark of remembrance flashed behind her eyes! Here standing before me, a long lost girlfriend, from 4 years earlier when we both attended a Christian Summer Camp working together on staff.

I was reminded by God this day of how much he loves me. God sees me. He answered my heartfelt prayer. A friendship I thought was lost long ago, now rekindled to what seemed like an impossibility among the sea of people. At a time in my life when my relationship with God felt shallow and distant, He reminded me that He’s always listening, always giving, and always loving on me regardless of my devotion to Him.

God is the unconditional friend who’s always close, even when I feel distant.

I gained a rekindled friendship on earth this day, but even more importantly, it helped me remember the everlasting friendship I already have in Christ Jesus. He loves you too you know, each and every one of you, distinctly, individually, and unconditionally. He sees you. Don’t be afraid to pray and to ask; you may be surprised at the bounty you receive.

My rekindled friendship with this woman continues to be one of my truest, most trusted friends to this day.

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Related: Gift a friend this lovely Village Artisan earrings-and-bracelet set to express how much you value the friendship you share together. Perfect for special occasions or just because.

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