Hello dear friends..

A letter probably to you:

I'm sorry I've been so busy lately, and haven't had time to chat. No time for lunch dates, tea times, or fun little run-ins. I've been taken over by a schedule that has kept me fairly tied up. It's not that I don't miss you or want to talk (because believe me, I miss you terribly). I've just been learning limits. I've realized I can't do everything. I can't please everyone. Sometimes I have to say no.

The thing is, even though at times I become overwhelmed with the setting God has written around me, I am where I am supposed to be. I may miss hearing your stories, but God has given me new stories to hear. Tales of women who have battled through life, who have been beaten and broken. Even though I crave to love on you and send warm words your way, God has placed me in lives that have forgotten what love looks and feels like, in the lives of women who are desperate for encouragement and hope.

It's been painful to let go of many of the opportunities for relationships in my life. However, as I have loosened the grips of my fingers from them and let some relationships fall away, the Lord has given my hands good work to do. And I am beginning to see that more clearly.

Today I listened to a lady's story. She set her heart out for me to see, exposing her fears, worries, and disappointment. She cried, grasping for something to hold on to, to regain her identity, to take back her heart. Like so many other women, she wants relief. I can't make their pain go away, but I can help. They want to be heard and I can listen. They want to acknowledged and I can notice them. They want to be loved the way they are, and I can love them. I can see God moving in these lives and weaving himself through these stories. This is worth it.

So I'm sorry if I'm tired or unable to socialize. I'm sorry if I don't return a call or forget to stop by. I'm sorry if I haven't been the friend that I need to be. Please forgive me. But remember that I love you and I miss you. And remember that God is doing great things.

And if you get the chance, pray for the women I meet. Pray that God shows up in their lives and calls them to him amidst the darkness in their lives. Pray that they experience his love, his grace, and his redemption in their lives. Pray that I remember that God is good, and he is sovereign. And maybe one day I'll be able to tell you stories.

With so much love,

your friend,

Lindsey