They are the ones. You know them. The ones who stand by you, stand with you. They tell you when not to give up, and when it’s time give it all up.

They are the ones who love you, no matter what, and through all kinds of matters.The ir gift is that unconditional belief and hope and love in you– despite the mistakes that we,  in our humanity, make.

Like the swaying of fragile reeds in the wind, so are the whims of those who pretend to be friend… people who live by their own rules, abiding by their own senses and demands for their own justices, without regard to the feelings and hearts of others.

Stung by betrayal, Jesus was, too.

When she sent that letter and it was meant to rip up a heart… the tears were plenty.

When Judas betrayed, I am sure His heart bled, just like ours does.

Hearts ache. They bend, break and bleed. I’ve been there.

Can you see the drips… all around us, you and me, the drips?

If God knows the number of stars and none of them is missing, I am sure he has a place for broken hearts to heal. Sometimes it feels like too much, too much in this world, and we want a place to hide, to go far away.

But no matter where it is, no matter where we go, it is the same. Broken-hearts. We’re all cracked. And so I, you, we all fit in, everywhere we go.

Until we can stop making each other’s cracks bigger and start working on healing, and work on some unconditional love, and grace, until then, we’ll have the gaping holes.

My eyes, they are searching.

So are His eyes searching …His eyes roam and search this earth. When His eyes find me, I am scared a little. But, I am also at peace. I am known.

While my eyes search around me… I know I am called to be different. Not back-stabber, betrayer.

What does “friend” mean? When I had none, I appreciated the sweetness of the word and what it meant. When there was a trampling, with words spoken and unspoken, I clung fast to the vine.

When I finally knew the word “friend”, I understood it much better because of not having it before. God taught me, when I didn’t have, than when I did. Now I pray He teaches me, while I have the gift of friend, that I would honor Him. We all fit, with our broken hearts… we all fit.

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Sharing with Laura at The Wellspring Jen at Finding Heaven,  Jennifer at #TellHisStory, and Emily at Imperfect Prose