“…many had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home.” -John 11:19-20
“Ask someone what they are most grateful for, and they will tell you a story about one of the worst things that has happened to them,” the retreat leader opened with. While I heard this more than a decade ago, I continue to find it to be true as people tell me the stories of their lives.
The best friendships are often forged through navigating unspeakable loss. While we would never choose the difficult path, those who companion us when hardships come or who have survived similar devastations share a shorthand of sorts with us.
As you reflect on experiences of hardship in your life, name the people who were with you in and through it. What unexpected friendships have been formed in your life? When have you bonded with someone through a loss or grief or the need of a miracle? Take a moment to offer a prayer of thanksgiving or blessing for those relationships in your life.
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Some Comfort and Joy was developed as a devotional resource that follows the rhythms and seasons of the liturgical year from an Anabaptist-Mennonite perspective.
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