Letter to a friend...

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."  John 13:34


My Dear Friend,
       I am writing to let you know that you have been on my heart and in my mind as of late.   I watch you struggling to deal with some problems and my heart breaks for you.  It is actually painful to see you hurting and not be able to fix things for you, to help to make it better.  You have many issues going on right now, some physical, some spiritual and some just, well just some other stuff.... and you are dealing with them.   I wanted to let you know that I am praying for you.   A lot.  Regularly, as I go through my day.   
     The guy upstairs and I, well we talk a lot about how you're doing...  He's got it covered.  He keeps trying to assure me of that.  He keeps trying to assure you of it too....  Funny how it sounds so safe when He says it, and then a few minutes later, there we go trying to step in and fix things ourself anyway... like we could do it any better..... yeah right....   
         Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that you are not alone as you deal with what you have to deal with....  I would like to be there with you... but that wouldn't be the right thing... after all, I've kind of got a lotta "stuff" of my own going on right now too...   and I don't want you to have  to try to bring me up....   We need to look to God.  And not just to look to Him.  We need to let Him do His "stuff".... after all His "stuff" is much better than any of the "stuff" that you and I can do....  
          Sometimes when I look in the mirror, I don't like what I see.... but I have to remind myself that I am only seeing the outer shell... it's what's inside that counts....   sometimes I am not so sure that I like the inside either.... it's easy to feel that way.... it's our human nature.... we listen to the wrong voices....  It's kind of like that Casting Crowns song "The Voice of Truth"... it says that we need to listen to the "voice of truth"....  I think that there is much truth in that....   God made us.  He likes us, inside and out.... are we perfect like He is? No, we're not.   But...  He likes us anyway!  In spite of our imperfections.... God is the "Truth".   We need to really listen for His voice, the voice of truth.... If He sees the good in us, then we need to see it too.... after all, it's there, even if we have a hard time seeing it.... 
It's much easier for us to see the good in others than it is to see it in  ourselves...   Yeah I know that some folks are really critical of others, but forget them.... most folks aren't like that...   they see the good in others much easier than one would imagine.   
       I see the good in you.  I believe that you are full of goodness and  beauty and that you shine God's light....   I see Him working in your life, even when you don't see Him.   He is there with you and I just wanted to point that out to you, so that in case you missed it....well.... you know.... it's got to make you wonder....
           Dear Lord,  This letter could have been written to any one of my friends.  It was not directly written to one, but to several...  many of my friends are struggling with trials large and small, physical, mental, spiritual, or just life stuff.....  I pray for all of them daily, but then You know that already.... We speak of them often.... You brought them into my life.  You taught me how to love them.... You know that I am not so good at giving love.... but you know that I care so very much.... So if you could just keep being with them like you always are....  and maybe if you could ease up on em a bit and bring them some joy... that would be a really cool thing.... and could you give em a hug from me.... thanks....