dial the number

I've heard it talked about before how some people are those who pursue others in relationship and others are happy to just sit back and wait to be pursued.

Honestly, I never knew which I was.

But, here we are.  New city, new surroundings, new people.  And I choose to pursue.

If we hadn't lived in such tight community I wouldn't think as intensely about relationships now.  Because surely we see people, but we're used to living with people and/or practically living with people.  And it was beautiful.  Living in community is now the expectation.  And I'm thankful for that.

We had that neighborhood get together.  We have people over for a meal now and then.  Our neighbor stops over regularly.  We meet people for coffees. 

However, last week was a quieter one for me.  Wanted to simply be known and not put in the effort.

But this week, starting yesterday, I picked up the phone again.  Called a couple of numbers that were sitting on my desk, but hadn't been called yet.

Tonight I went to coffee with a very new friend.  We went to church together.

This friend is one who is in the midst of great suffering.  She's been through, is going through, hell.  She stood next to me, observing, crying.  We listened to a friend speak of God's love, his pursuit of us and our response to him.  She is just glimpsing in at all this.  She doesn't understand yet.

Right now it is the pain that is before her, nothing else.  I asked her how I could pray, what I could do.  She said just this, being together.

And I will keep picking up the phone. 

I think it is something wonderful to know that we can trust God with our relationships, no matter what.  Picking up the phone, popping around to someone's house, sending an email or stopping someone on the street - whether it ends in humiliation or in a great conversation, we can trust him.  And I love that.