While we were talking, I mentioned struggling with feeling unwanted & disliked, even by God, sometimes. My friend started laughing, and I was very confused. I was being sincere and vulnerable, so I was surprised that she responded with laughter. "I thought that was just my experience. I didn't think other people felt that God didn't like them," she explained, somewhat amazed that she was not alone. What a gift to see this friendship deepen because of shared experience and a shared commitment to learning to follow Jesus, even when it's hard.
I was leafing through my journal this morning and came across a prayer for this particular friend to have a growing hunger for the Bible and for knowing God better. It's been incredible to see how He's answered this prayer with a resounding yes!