A New Friend

Not long ago I was driving home from dropping my daughter off at school. When I got to our street I noticed my neighbor from 2 doors up walking her dog. Well, they usually walk their dog, but this was late in the morning for them and so I was curious.

I stopped. "Hey! What are you doing out at this time of the morning?" I asked. "Well," she said, "I lost my job." We talked for a while and I explained that my husband just took a pretty good pay cut himself. I told her that I was trying to find something part-time to try to help make up the difference, etc., etc. etc. I told her that I KNEW that God would provide for us and for her!

A few days later she showed up on my driveway. I was outside watching Caroline ride her bike and clipping coupons. She had a little bag in her hand and she seemed excited. We talked for a second and then she said, "I have something for you. I made it." She pulled out a little cookbook that she had filled with old recipes from her own family's kitchens. Her grandmother's and aunt's recipes, as well as a few of her own, were handwritten in a sweet little book that she had stamped and decorated herself.

I could not believe it! I have talked to her here and there like neighbors do these days. A wave, a smile, a few words, but never for a very long time. And here she was sharing some of her family heritage with me! She said, "You know, I had friends at work. I have friends that live far away, and a few that are here in our city. One thing I don't have is a friend that is also my neighbor. When you stopped and talked to me the other day I decided that we could be friends!"

God's word tells us to "love your neighbor as yourself." We have lived here for 6 years and I have never taken it on myself to get to know this sweet new friend. I am not sure if she knows Jesus as her Savior, and now is the time for me to finally be obedient! God is using HER to remind me of His Word and of His commands to share Him with those that we meet. Just the other Sunday a pastor at our church challenged us to pray that the Lord would bring a new person into our lives with whom we could share Jesus! I took the challenge, and guess what? HE DID IT!

I'm glad she "decided that we could be friends!" I'm praying that the Lord uses this new friendship to bring Him glory!