Every day of the year is now celebrating something. Some hold way more meaning to me than others. At this time last year, Internet Friend’s Day had no meaning for me. I am grateful for being able to sustain real life friendships with people who I am unable to see often. But actual friends that I have not met, just communicated with on the Internet? Ha! Who does that?
Now, it is a completely different story. One almost impossible to explain. One that still sounds a little – or a lot – crazy when you hear it.
The summary is this: last March I joined a Facebook group for those people who didn’t get picked for a launch team. That group has developed, and grown, and become a place where actual friendships have become real. These women, with whom I have connected, have become my heart friends, my soul’s sisters, my tribe. The only way that sentence isn’t completely nuts is to acknowledge that God brought us together “for such a time as this.”
I have had the privilege of meeting some of my new friends. Others, I hope to meet soon. Regardless of whether we have met or not, we have a bond that I truly can’t explain.
In fact, I have joined one of these women, Tracy, in launching a ministry – and I have yet to meet her. But I know her heart. I know her Spirit – because we share that love for Jesus. We share a vision that is remarkably the same.
When I actually wrote out these words, there is a sense that we, as a group, were so desperate for friendship that we were willing to do anything to find it. And perhaps, we were. But we have, we have found friendships that enrich and bless us. We have found support and understanding. We have found friends who are like us and friends who are drastically different from us. We have found value in supporting, encouraging, challenging, and pushing each other. We have found laughter and shared tears. It makes no sense. I know that. Which is why my friend Emily, whom I have yet to meet, has the only explanation, “But, God.” Only God could have put this together, and only God could have made it work.
So now, I have much to celebrate on this Internet Friend’s day. And that truth fills my heart with joy.
Leave a Reply