Friends are Friends Forever

The life of a graduate student is one lived in transition. To go through a masters program (at least in our case) in many ways feels like a temporary stopping ground to prepare for the future. One aspect in regard to transition we all must face at one time or another involves the friends we make along the way. This is never more real for me than right now. It seems like just when you finally feel like your really close to someone the reality of grad school (in that it eventually comes to an end) sets in and it's time for your friend(s) to move on in life. Andy is definitely one of those friends for me. He and his wife Randi (and their new baby Ally) leave next week for Kentucky and I don't know if I'm ready for that. He's become one of my best friends in a short time and I think it's going to be hard to not have him around--thank goodness for cell phones, long distance, and airplanes. But, I'm thankful to know that we share something in common which is ulitmately greater than our friendship alone...we are brothers in Christ. No matter how far apart we are I know that the love of God in Christ binds us together. Sure, I'll miss him and the fun we have together but I know it's not the end. In fact I pray it is just the beginning. I know God has a plan for them as he does for all of us, even when we find ourselves in uncertain periods of transition. That's why I'm thankful that in Jesus, friends really are friends forever!

God, thank you for blessing us with friends to walk beside us in this journey!