“Real friends—meaning Biblical friends—are not in the relationship for what they can get out of it nor do they abandon or betray friends in bad times. Biblical friends stick with you even when there is no perceived benefit in doing so and even in the midst of adversity.” Sometimes it is difficult to imagine that the friends who have been in your life aren’t really your friends in the first place. It is likely they are just friendly acquaintances who see some benefit for themselves in having a relationship with you until they are disappointed in you or you let them down in one way or another. In saying this, I perceive that not everyone that is around me wants to be my friend. I discern that who I am and how I minister is not for everyone. I also understand that what I share in what I write is not for the whole world. Some say that I am too open, others say that I need intense counseling, probably both are true, but I believe that I am led by the Holy Spirit to share what I do. I am thankful for those of you who read what I write and let me know how you are affected, how you relate to what I go through, and those of you who are encouraged to continue in your walk with God because of  something I share. C.S. Lewis said that “Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: ‘What! You too? I thought I was the only one.” Over the years I have had many friendships developed in the faces of strangers, some of whom I co-labor with on a regular basis now and some who I will probably never meet until I get to heaven. I do not believe it is so much about who I am in the flesh, but because of who I am in Christ that has made the impact. There are many Bible verses that I have seen lived out before my eyes and one of the most prominent are the words of the Lord Jesus written in *John 15:17 This [is what] I command you: that you love and unselfishly seek the best for one another.* Many of you know that because of my family dynamics that I do not have a full-time job. I have been blessed to be able to counsel, teach the Word, provide to those that are food insecure, write the Daily Word that I do, lead support groups, and minister in a full-time capacity, and so much more because of those who love and unselfishly seek the best for me and my family. I want to thank my brothers and sisters in Christ who have blessed me with ongoing financial support, one-time gifts (sometimes anonymous), and the gifts given by the use of technology through apps like Zelle. I do thank God for the friends He has given me on a regular basis: those of you who He has given me to walk through life with; those of you who will tell me the truth, even if it hurts; those of you who listen to me and do not judge me because of the struggles that I face; those of you who love me and who allow me to love you back no matter what is going on in our lives; those of you who time and distance have no hold on; those of you who help make me a stronger and a better person in Christ. You are truly the greatest blessing a person can have! May the grace and peace of the Lord Jesus richly bless you my beloved.