Sisters in Christ

Hello Princess Warriors! I'm back! I have been out of town speaking at a women's retreat. I'm happy to report that my sisters in Christ discovered on a deeper level how to reign real as priceless princesses and worthy warriors while learning how to better love and support each other in the process.

I am always amazed by how God can invite so many delightfully diverse women into His Kingdom and how we can become sisters sharing God's love.

We serve a God of relationship. When Jesus walked the earth, He had a close circle of friends and an expanded group of disciples. He knew when to be alone with the Father and when to minister with others. When we can discover that same balance, we, too, can become more effective in our Kingdom work. Ladies, we need each other! We need to let go of petty female competition and jealousy, learning instead to lift each other up closer to Christ.

The world presents women, so often, as hostile, jealous, and coniving creatures bent on getting what they want when they want it, regardless of cost. You only have to glance at an afternoon soap opera to see the lies, betrayal, and relentless competition portrayed between the female characters. Nothing is off limits. No wonder women have a hard time trusting each other.

In order to live effectively for Christ in this world, we must release our desire to be the best. We need to stop judging our sisters and take a look into the mirror of our own hearts and take the planks out of our own eyes rather than purposefully seeking out what is wrong with our peers. True Christian friendship is a gift worth unwrapping.

I hope you enjoy the following story of true friendship:

You are familiar with Albrecht Durer’s famous painting "The Praying Hands," but do you know the story behind it? The painting was inspired by the sacrificial, loving acts of a friend. Durer and an older friend were struggling to make a go as artists. Recognizing Durer’s talent, the older man took a job to provide for both of them until Durer could complete his art studies. The work was labor, but he did it gladly for his friend. Finally, Durer made a sale. The money was enough to care for both of them for several months. Now his older friend could resume his painting, but the older man’s hands had become so stiff from the hard labor that he was unable to paint. One day when Durer returned home, he found his friend in prayer, his work-worn hands folded reverently. Durer painted a picture of these hands, capturing them for ages to come as a memorial to the love and sacrifice of his older friend." (Frank Morgan, Jr. Keys To Unlock Yourself. Nashville : Braodman Press, 1985, pp. 75-76). Durer’s friend was a friend who went the extra mile in friendship. No one will argue that he lovingly went the distance for his friend Durer.

Greater love has no one than this, that she lay down her life for her friends.
Adapted from John 15:13