Saturday, December 6, 2008

The Blessing of 'Cyber-Friends'

I have to say, I never in a million years dreamed of being friends with women I’ve never met. I even admit that there are times when I step back a moment and think it’s a little odd that I have such a special place in my heart for women that I’ve never laid eyes on in person…I can only imagine what our husbands must think!!

But this morning I was reading in my new devotion and God so touched my heart with the blessing of my ‘cyber-friends.’

The other day, I came across Beth Moore’s 90 day devotion on Jesus… I wanted something different and what better devotional than to think about Jesus for 90 days, especially leading up to Christmas. This morning, she was writing about the moment after the angel told Mary that she would give birth to the Savior…

“The most revolutionary news since Eden’s fall: “the Savior is on His way.” Announcing the soon coming Messiah, he offered the stunned adolescent an almost out-of-place slice of information. By the way, ‘Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child…’ How like God! In the middle of news with universal consequences, He recognized the personal consequences to one girl…How tender the God who shared with her through an angel that someone nearby could relate.”

And then Beth Moore writes, “Women…we long to find someone who has been where we’ve been, who share our fragile places, who see our sunsets with the same shades of blue.”

And I immediately thought of my cyber-friends! Adoption is a truly unique journey and I think one that’s very hard to understand and appreciate if you haven’t been there. It can lead you to some pretty deep places in your heart and it is such a blessing to be able to share it with either those who are interested or those who can understand…

This journey has touched my heart in ways I’ve never dreamed… If you had told me a year ago that I would be pouring out my heart on a blog on the internet, I would have thought you were crazy… If you had told me a year ago that I would share friendships with women I had never met…I would have thought you were even crazier…

But here I am… I wrote last week about my family and what a picture they are of the church as God intends. But I think the adoption community is also… I watch on my own blog, but especially on the blogs of others who are walking through hard places, how the community circles around and prays, raises money, and encourages… I’ve been inspired by the faith of so many of you and I’ve been encouraged by your words of encouragement to me.

Thank you friends (and family) who take the time to read and to comment. I love knowing you’re out there, even the 'silent ones'…I love knowing that there is someone sharing my fragile places…my moments of wonder…my sunsets as well as my storms. Thank you for the inspiration that you are to me as you share your own journeys…for the glimpses you give me of God’s power and faithfulness…His love and grace! I can’t wait to meet you in heaven someday (if not before)!

1 comment:

Shawnstribe said...

Sharla, i so feel like you, i have met some great galsthrough blogs and would love to meet up with you guys one day!!!
Adoption has changed my life.
Thank you for a great post :)
xxx
s