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Every family has one… that certain kid who gets injured and banged up more than their fair share. That one who spends the majority of your family’s health care budget on their co-pay needs because, for whatever reason, accidents mysteriously, regularly, and relentlessly hunt them down and throw a good bit of hurt on them. In our family, this person is my oldest son, Preston.
We’ve been up, down, and all around when it comes to Preston’s breaks, bandages, and bruises. So, it was a bit old-hat to be sitting in a small examining room winters ago, waiting to see the doctor about yet another injury.
This one happened in gym class at school.
Preston climbed up a rope, made it to the top, and then had the bright idea to let go of the rope instead of scaling down safely.
Brilliant.
He broke his big toe… in the middle of his basketball season.
The doctor looked over the x-rays and, in spite of the break, had good news for us: Preston only had a hairline fracture in his toe. It would heal quickly. He would be immobilized in a funky shoe for a week or two, and then he would be able to play basketball again as soon as the pain subsided.
As the appointment ended, the doctor told Preston that once he was able to put weight on his foot, he would need to use a “buddy strap.” The strap would hold his broken toe snugly to the healthy toe right beside it for support.
A nurse then handed my son a few black Velcro strips and explained that he should wear them to play basketball as soon as his pain was manageable. The support of the buddy straps would help him get back in the game quickly.
My mind was blown.
I thought of the similarities between buddy straps and friendships.
There are times when my heart or circumstances are fractured. Each wound and challenge threatens to keep me immobilized both emotionally and spiritually. When this happens, it’s best if I take it to the Lord in prayer first, then buddy-strap my heart to a few godly girlfriends.
Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, NLT).
We need each other as Christian women.
Because we all get hurt and struggle.
Christian friends pray for each other, speak wisdom and offer encouragement.
They help a sister up who might be down.
Friendship will look different for each of us, but it might look like babysitting for that single mom for free… or helping her by carpooling her kids to school. It could look like listening as you walk together, dropping off a meal, or sending a card to let her know she’s loved and seen.
Let’s ask the Lord to help us be the type of friends who speak life, truth, grace and hope to those around us.
As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another (Proverbs 27:17).
Dear Lord,
Thank You for giving me access to unending grace and strength through Your Son, Jesus Christ. You are my Strong Tower, my Refuge, my Shelter, my Help, and my Hope. I’m grateful that when my days are filled with hurt and struggles You are right beside me. Please help me encourage my friends toward Your grace, hope and truth today.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
FOR YOUR REFLECTION and RESPONSE
Where does this find you today? Are you limping with some life-fractures and challenges? Are you the buddy-strap to any of your friends who are struggling?
Think of a few girlfriends who have been your buddy-straps, then pause to pray for each of them. Bless them today. Send a card or an email. Forward this devotion to them! Text them or post on their wall. Connect to say thanks.
BUDDY STRAP SHOUT OUT: Swing by my blog today and tell me who yours are! I posted some fun pictures of a few of my buddy-straps!! As always, you are also welcome to leave a prayer request. (I really love hearing from you!)
LOVE you guys!
GWEN
Here are some of my BEAUTIFUL BUDDY STRAPS!
SINCE WE’RE FRIENDS, Let’s do this together! Studying the Bible is important to help you know and trust God more. It equips you with His power, presence, perspective and peace. It informs your emotions, increases courage, decreases doubt, and bolsters believing.
Don’t let thoughts like, “I don’t know what to read,” “I don’t understand what I’m reading,” or “I just don’t have the time” keep you from going after what you truly know your heart and soul needs.
JOIN Girlfriends in God cofounder Gwen Smith for an inductive online Bible study that can be done in the comfort of your home and in a time-frame that fits with your personal schedule. Her next Psalm Adventure is a 5-week study that begins on March 1, 2020.
Register now for the FREE online study.
Comments 12
Hi Gwen, your mail has always been a blessing to me, it’s quiet unfortunate that I don’t have buddy, I really wish I have that one friend that we can sharpen one another both spirituality and in all areas on our life’s, I pray that God will give me a husband that will be my best friend ❤️
My buddy strap is my best friend, Wanda. She is a faithful prayer warrior and precious friend to me.
I look forward to your emails daily. Wanted to share with you that I left a lot of Buddy straps when I moved from Florida to, Georgia. But I still have long-distance buddy straps with all of them as well as my home buddies in Pennsylvania. I’m slowly making friends here In Georgia, part of that being a new Bible study at First United Methodist and joining the Tifton newcomers Club. Keep up the good work!
Blessings to you and yours♡
I have buddy straps in all shapes and sizes! I have three besties that I do every day life with. They support me and keep me going. I have “Yesties” who I do a side biz with all over the country who share my success and hold me up when times aren’t so good, and I have a sister from another set of parents who is the godmother to my three grown boys. I can’t imagine my life without ANY of them!
I don’t have any friends anymore. I’ve just kind of isolated myself. Safer that way. I loved seeing your pictures. To me, it makes you a real person not just someone I read. Thank you!
I appreciate this post as it challenges me to not only be thankful for my buddy straps but also make an effort to be a buddy strap! Thank you
Gwen, I have truly enjoyed this gig passage. I have two buddy straps in my life. My ex sis in law/ best friend Linda and a former co worker / other best friend Esther. We’ve been together thru thick and thin. I thank God he put them in my road because without this blessings he send me I wouldn’t have made it at times. I too have a buddy strap with much passion. I agree we need each other. Amen.
Gwen: what a beautiful statement about the importance of buddy straps! I couldn’t exist without them and look forward to our continuing friendship and buddy strapping that is in our future.
My son, too, was the accident kid of my 3. We used to joke that the ER was our weekly “special” bonding time.
I wasn’t able to add pictures here, but I honor And am grateful for all of my buddy straps.
hey Gwen , my church friends are my Buddy straps .
I also have a prayer requests for my brother (Randy Sims) he had been hospitalized for double pneumonia and they thought he had a Blood clot as well but he didn’t thank God, but however he was diagnosed with Leukemia and he received his first Chemo treatment Sunday . so please pray for Randy and my parents and me and all my family. thank you Gwen you’re the best love you my Sister in Christ
I am definitely the one in my family. Every time I turn around another condition pops up. Especially since I entered the golden years. I thought I had a very best friend until my last surgery. I had a colostomy surgery in Sept and since then my friend had distanced herself from me. My husband is my one true best friend but I really needed and need my “girl” best friend and I’m not sure what happened. I do know that I’ve have gone through some really hard days that I can’t share with anyone except my Lord and Savior! I tried doing it myself but found I can’t and I have finally brought God back into this new apart of my life. As I have always done, I’m reading the psalms. That is the book brings refuge, peace and understanding.
Through IF:Gathering a group of friends have joined together as an IF:Table and for the past 4 years we have gathered together monthly for dinner and to share our hearts. We regularly text and email prayer requests, Praises, devotional, anything and everything. I can’t imagine my life without these women to love and support me through whatever life brings me.
Gwen
I liked what you wrote and I totally agree . I’m 60 years old and I do not have a friend like that. My husband was an evangelist. We traveled as a family so I met a lot of people but was never able to make a “close” friend. My husband was my best friend. He went to be with the Lord two years ago. I live in a new place and just finding it hard to fit in.