Friendship (Trina Agee Cornell)

Good evening! For the next 25 days, I will be on a mission trip to Vietnam. During that time, I will have new blogs each night from guest authors! (Also, on many nights, I will post pictures from my trip here!) For the next 26 evenings, my spot will be filled by my dear sister in Christ, Trina Agee Cornell! Trina and I went through many mission trips together and I have been a guest in Trina's and her husband, Bob's home. Please keep me in your prayers!
Question #24
I spent an afternoon at Barnes and Noble a few months ago – this is a place where I could spend hours upon
hours. As a reading specialist by trade – and a reader by nature – it makes sense. On this particular trip, I
found a book, tucked away with the journals in their display, called 3,000 Questions About Me. I opened it
and started thumbing through – and I have to admit, I was quite intrigued. I started looking through the
questions, thinking about what my responses would be. I knew I just had to get it – the book sat at my house
for a month, collecting dust. I finally pulled it out and decided to answer one page of questions a day. 3,000
questions can be overwhelming – but how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time! As I answer my page
of questions each day, I read the question – and I put what immediately comes to mind. I do not overthink
them – I answer them honestly and openly. My series of blog posts will focus on certain questions that I
believe get to the core of who I am – as a wife, mother, and a child of God.

24. What do you most value in a friend?
I have been blessed with many good friends throughout my life. Each one of them has served a purpose only
the Lord could ordain. When I read this question, two words came to mind: loyalty and honesty. When I look
for a friend, I look for someone who will stick with me through thick and thin – someone who will stand by me,
and stand up for me, when I need them the most. I also look for the quality of honesty in a friend – someone
who speaks the truth about themselves, about others, and about me. I value a friend who can be honest with
me – who will lovingly steer me in the right direction – and who will call me out when I need to rethink my
actions and decisions.
Unfortunately, this hasn’t always been the case for me. I have been hurt deeply by people I thought were my
friends – they have lied to me, said things behind my back, and they have betrayed me in the worst ways. In
some instances, I was not sure if I would be able to recover. I look back on these experiences now – and I
think about the lessons I have learned from them. They have not always been easy – mentally or emotionally
– but I know the Lord intended for them to teach me, to mold me, and shape me into the woman I am today.
Friends will come and go – some will stay for a season, some will leave for a reason, and some will remain for a
lifetime. No matter what happens in this life, I am thankful that I have a friend in Jesus. I know that He
possesses the two qualities I look for in a friend – loyalty and honesty. He walks with me daily – I do not face
anything alone. He stood in my place, taking my sins upon His shoulders. He tells me the truth about myself –
His steadfast love never ceases. His mercies never come to an end. He is faithful – He is trustworthy – and He
is sovereign. He fearfully and wonderfully made me, just the way I am. In the moments when I feel alone, I
know that He is with me – and that He is my friend.

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1
E-mail me at shawley@westburychristian.org