Since Sunday, Tyler and I have been missing Bobby. He is doing a brief outreach trip in Los Angeles with some of our high school students and won’t be back until tonight. I didn’t really want to be home alone so I went up to my parent’s house for a few days to spend some time with them. My mom got me a beautiful glider rocking chair–the one I bought several months ago for $20 didn’t last long. The new one is blue and very comfortable with no squeaks or grindings when I rock, so I was excited to bring that back.

After I put Tyler to bed I was checking blogs and noticed that mine hasn’t been updated in a week, which is a long time for me! I’m glad that I have time to blog right now because I have something on my heart that I really want to share.

Most of you know or know of my husband. Bobby is one of the friendliest people I know and is loyal and loving especially to his close friends, particularly Ty and Brad. I am blessed to see his interactions with two of them on a regular basis and have missed it this week as we have all been different places. Bobby and Ty have a truly dynamic friendship–I’ve heard people liken it to that of David and Jonathan! Last year I wrote an entry about their friendship and some of the things I have learned from observing their interaction. You can read that blog here–”A Lesson in Friendship.”

Since our recent move to Orange County I have been learning some new lessons in friendship as Bobby and Ty were reunited with their good friend Brad. Many of you know that Bobby, Ty and Brad enjoy writing and recording worship music together and keeping up a website called Godsongmusic. It’s so encouraging to me that they put so much time and thought to writing music and working on blogs for the site. If you have never visited it I hope you will so that you can be blessed by what God is doing through them.

As Bobby and Ty are out of town and Brad is busy working on his dissertation, I’ve been missing their fellowship and in its absence have noticed some of the aspects of their friendship that I really appreciate.

Gracious. By “gracious” I mean–going out of the way to be kind, quick to forgive, and accepting of others without having to have a reason to do so. I know that it’s not just a temperamant difference, but a spiritual discipline, and this is something that I struggle with. Spending time with these three has challenged me on this and even shown me ways I can think this way toward others. I regularly am graced by Bobby’s quickness to forgive. We should not even keep negative thoughts about people, but once forgiven keep no record of wrongs (1 Corinthians 13:5).

A couple of weeks ago I walked into the dining room in time to hear Ty saying something nice about someone I was not thinking on so favorably. I’m sad to say that I was selfish enough to try to sway him to think that this person was not to be trusted and especially not accepeted. But I knew that my reason was not Biblical but emotional, and he showed me that I don’t have to be the kind of person that requires people to prove themselves to me before I will accept them. I should think and hope the best of people, instead of assuming negative things or making hasty judgments. Romans 12:15-16 speaks of this–”Rejoice with those who rejoice, mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.”

Giving. Acts 2:44 is a good description, “Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.” This verse is talking about the believers in the early church, and these three are similar to this together and to others–maybe not in selling all their possessions, but in having all things in common and giving anything that is needed. Whether it is selling personal possessions so that Godsongmusic can have recording equipment or paying for lunch, this is a way of life to them. Before we moved into our new home Ty was trying to find a place to live and when Brad heard this he immediately offered his room. Giving is not limited to money or possessions but also of time–especially days off, energy and prayer. I have often been convicted of the need to be selfless in my love for others when I see how Bobby, Ty and Brad have a loose hold on the things and such a strong desire to serve others in any way that they can.

Morning, noon and night. Bobby, Ty and Brad go all-hours necessary. I don’t just mean how they pull off great high school all-nighter events, record till 3am, or will watch Lost as long as they can stay awake–their devotion to the Lord and His people is truly inspiring.

Brad was studying overseas for a couple of years and I was always encouraged by how he regularly called Bobby and even got a calling card so that Bobby could call him. Their friendship wasn’t fazed much by the long distance and I noticed many of the conversations would be at night when Bobby could talk longer which means it was 8 hours later for Brad! This week Ty took off from work so that he could be a part of the outreach trip to Los Angeles. And I can’t remember how many times Bobby’s phone rings and he drops everything no matter what time it is to talk to either Brad or Ty. When I see this aspect to their friendship I am challenged by how sacrificing of their time they are, but of course, they never seem to act like it is a sacrifice. They treat it like a priviledge. This is something I am striving to emulate–being an anytime kind of person. If our priority is the kingdom of God, we will know that our time is not our own, and that each day is a gift. With this mentality it is not hard to see the importance to “…Exhort one another daily, while it is still called ‘Today’ lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” (Hebrews 3:13)

I hope that you will somehow be encouraged by this glimpse into a godly friendship and ministry. I hope that as I continue to learn from these three friends that God will work in my life and relationships these qualities and especially the reality that Bobby, Ty and Brad live–the beauty of true Christian fellowship together.