The girls came over tonight.  We celebrated big with chips and dip, Emily’s delicious pumpkin squash soup, and a salad bar extravaganza.  We sat out back and let the cool breeze wash over us.   One by one, we shared our stories.

The greatest gift you can give a friend is to listen without judgment.

At the end of the evening, we sang happy birthday and cut the decadent chocolate ganache cake in 5 pieces.  The birthday girl got a little emotional as she opened her presents and read her cards.

She thanked us for being “real” as we pulled down the crafty banner with her name on it.  She took it home as a souvenir.

After the kitchen was cleaned up, I wrapped up my evening by sitting cozy on the couch with my man.  We held hands and enjoyed each other’s company after a crazy busy weekend.

I am loved well by so many.  I am thankful.

Good friends help you get through hard times.  They make you laugh, and they tell you the truth.  Good friends fight for you on their knees and show up with casseroles when you are hurting.

Good friends pinky promise to keep your secrets and celebrate your successes.

The “bestest” of my friends actually laid down His life to buy me back from death.  He’s fully present in my life — never leaving or forsaking me.  He delights in me and counts my tears in a bottle.

His banner over me is love.

His promises hold truer than all pinky promises.

  When God made His promise to Abraham, He backed it to the hilt,

putting His own reputation on the line. He said,

“I promise that I’ll bless you with everything I have—

bless and bless and bless!”

Abraham stuck it out and got everything that had been promised to him.

When people make promises,

they guarantee them by appeal to some authority above them

so that if there is any question

that they’ll make good on the promise,

the authority will back them up.

When God wanted to guarantee His promises,

He gave his word, a rock-solid guarantee—God can’t break His word.

And because His word cannot change,

the promise is likewise unchangeable.

Hebrews 6:13-18, MSG

I’m sharing “Pinky Promise” joining The Nester and friends for #write31days and linking up with like-minded sisters at Sharing His Beauty, Playdates with God, and Unforced Rhythms.

To see all of the posts in this series, head on over here.