Surrounded

As I sit in a coffee shop reflecting on the beginning of this year so far, I continue to be reminded of the impact of good friends. In just the short month and a half that this year as been thus far, I've been incredibly thankful for the ways in which friends have encouraged me. There have been moments that have brought great joy and encouragement. Moments like sitting in front of a campfire having deep conversations, worship the Lord, and teaching a friend how to make a fire. Hanging out with folks at Chick-fil-A making plans for the semester and enjoying the Lord's chicken. Taking a couple of international graduate students to Cookout and developing some hilarious inside jokes along the way. It makes me incredibly thankful to be surrounded by good friends.

• I'm thankful to God for friends that are brothers and sisters to me. For we see as early as Genesis 1 that man was created for community. For if God has community within himself through the Trinity, and if we are made in his image, in his likeness, then we too were created for community, both with him and our fellow image bearers. 
• I'm thankful for friends that help me when life is tough. For we see in Ecclesiastes that "two are better than one... For if one falls down another is there to lift him up". Folks that come alongside me in the midst of life's challenges and help to bear my burdens (Galatians 6:2) are truly blessings from the Lord. 
• I'm thankful for moments with friends that bring joy to my heart. Moments like last night enjoying tacos and games with a group of good friends. Those times always include good laughs and inevitable inside jokes. Because stuff like George Bush on a tiny horse is sure to have a funny backstory. 
• I'm thankful for the friends who make me a better man. For as Proverbs points out that "as iron sharpens iron, so does a man sharpen another." For the people that sharpen me, make me a better man, and challenge me to pursue God well, work hard at my job, and see to make the gospel known, I'm incredibly thankful. 

Good, close friends leave us with much to be thankful for. I could certainly create a much longer list than those above, but I think I have demonstrated my point. C.S. Lewis points out that friendship is one of those things that brings value to survival. Being surrounded by godly friends reminds me of that truth often.