Friendship is born at that moment when one man says to another: What! You too? I thought that no one but myself…
When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives means the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares.
Henri J.M. Nouwen, Out of Solitude: Three Meditations on the Christian Life
What is a friend? A single soul dwelling in two bodies.
Aristotle
The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, not the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when you discover that someone else believes in you and is willing to trust you with a friendship.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. John 15:15
Two are better than one, for if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion Ecclesiastes 4:9
The best mirror is an old friend.
George Herbert
Dear Lord,
Your first pronouncement about man is that it is not good for man to be alone. Loneliness at times haunts me; it is that horrific feeling on being cut off from love, care and even life itself. I thank you for the gift of friendship. That you Jesus call me a friend (John 15:15) and are a friend to me. You have given your life for me which is the highest expression of friendship, you speak to me and share the secrets of the father, you know all my faults and yet never turn away but instead are always present. You speak truth to me but do it in love, provide for me continually, bind up my wounds, heal my brokenness, care for me in 1000 ways, and have sent me your Spirit who walks alongside me bestowing gifts, virtues, and eternal favors.
I thank you also for my friends. As an only child I grew up feeling the void of a companion, yet you have sent me friends that stick closer than brothers.
I thank you for Charlie, Bruce and Tucker who played with me and made every afternoon an adventure.
I thank you for Jeff who protected me on the playground.
I thank you for Marcus, Dave, and Warren my best friends in High School who became my family, companions, buddies, true brothers. We grew up together in the awkward teenage years. We played sports together, studied together, partied together, dated together, and fought together.
I thank you for my girlfriends especially Colleen, Betsy, Loli, and last but not least Toni my wife of 34 years, even though she has left she gave me four beautiful children and some good memories.
I thank you for Rick who became my first friend as a Christian at Furman. Rick taught me about God, he taught me about myself, taught me about the south and what it means to be a Yankee, was my best man at our wedding and has been one my best friends for the last 40 years.
Tom’s adult life includes a portion of full-time ministry and he continues to serve in the area of international outreach. His belief that God expects us to honor and cherish relationships is reflected in his prayer.
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