Proverbs 27:10
10 Never abandon a friend— either yours or your father's.When disaster strikes, you won't have to ask your brother for assistance. It's better to go to a neighbor than to a brother who lives far away.
Proverbs 27:17
17 As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.

I have a variety of friends. I like it that way,always have since I was young. Some of my friends are people who might not be "popular". Not because they are mean or totally weird but maybe they are a bit "different" to people who think they, themselves, are normal. Maybe I'm "different" who knows but what I do know is the people who don't give them a shot are losing out. All my friends have big hearts, they are kind,loving,giving,caring,funny, smart people. They have BIG hearts and that is what I love about them. I never cared about being "popular" or even making popular choices when it comes to my friends. At one point in my life I made bad choices when it came to friends,ran with the wrong crowd, didn't care what I did or who I did it with- there were a few years in my life when those people were not big hearted people, luckily for me, I still had my true friends who hung in there with me and some are still my friend today. They had something going on in their life that made them different. 1 was pregnant at 15, 1 was trying to commit suicide on and off for years,1 was gay and yet while I was there for them, they were always there for me.
My best friend was an old neighbor of mine when Jill was about 7 or 8,so about 17 years ago. We have been friends ever since. She has bi polar and it can be tough being her friend sometimes, she knows it but ya know what? I wouldn't trade her for the world- she has been there for me EVERY time I have needed her,doesn't matter what it was,heck she has been there for my girls when they have needed her as well. Her loving heart and spirit make me a better person. People may not understand her illness and if they are not friends with her because of that, it is truly their loss because I would be lost without her. She lives in VA and I wish I had appreciated our time together more but I had no clue I would move 12 hours away. We plan on being nursing home buddies one day. :-)
I have my Facebook friends-some are my friends from church,childhood neighbors,school friends and family. Some of these people probably never gave me another thought after we lost touch-or thought of me a couple of times in 30 years or whatever and me of them as well. But I LOVE being in touch-it is awesome to see how they are today. Would we have stayed friends if I never left MD? Maybe, maybe not-doesn't matter- it is fun having them in my life now. Cool thing is-I think they all probably have big hearts too. Based on what they post or have said to me I think they are someones big hearted friend. I know if I said- hey I am passing through- VA,MD, FL or wherever let's get together- they would and 30 years would melt away.
My friend who was pregnant at 15,we have been in contact on and off through the years, she called me recently and it was like time never stopped. We picked right up where we left off, that is a true life friend. The one who was always trying to commit suicide-well she is a recluse in VA but we also keep in touch every now and again,time just has no boundaries. The gay teen-well we lost touch and I last researched her online and she is in a fed prison for embezzlement of a lot, A LOT, of money. Too bad I wasn't her friend while she was splurging- just kidding!!
My church friends have become so near and dear to me as well. Big hearted people-big hearted church and what a difference it has made in my life. Not only is my walk with God getting closer but I KNOW God has put my friends in my life as blessings. If you have good friends,friends who you can trust completely, count them as one of your many blessings.
My daughters are my friends, my 74 year old neighbor is my friend and my husband is my friend. I am humbled by them all.
All of them bring something different to my life-no matter whether it is a FB friend,a family member that is a friend, a friend from 30 years ago or a church friend. Friendships are one of life's treasures.
But what about your friendship with God? Do you rely on him like you do your friends? Can you trust Him with everything? Do you talk to Him every day? I know that I am trying to do so. While sometimes I forget to turn to Him, just like I might not turn to my friends to talk about a problem thinking I can handle it on my own, I am really trying to remember that He wants me to talk to Him. Ask Him for help, thank Him for my blessings,rely on Him when things get tough for me or someone else. TRUST Him- that is tough- trust that while I can't see what He is doing, He really does know His stuff and it will all be ok! My friendship with God is of the utmost importance because without that I would not know what blessings my friends really are!
So while I want you to know Christ better, I also want you to think about people who might need your friendship. Normal is overrated and while not all of my friends fall in the "different" category, I am so thankful that I have been given an open heart and mind to have friends like that because I would be missing out on so much. God wants us to love one another and just think what a better world this would be if everyone did.
I can only pray that I am a good friend to God and my friends as well.