Companions for the Journey: The Necessity of Friendship
feel welcomed. They taught me lessons by example in serving, loving people, and being bold to share the Gospel. My adventures in Spain included sharing the Gospel, but also totally unexpected experiences such as recording an album of songs, riding horses and four-wheelers, climbing a mountain, disciplining a group of teen girls, helping in the kitchen at a retreat ministry there–and much more. It was truly life changing. I was blown away by the opportunities God allowed me to experience in my relatively short two-month stay. I wept as my plane took off to fly back to the States. I was glad to go home and see my family and friends, but a piece of my heart was left behind in the rugged mountains and pastures of Northern Spain.
Looking back, I sometimes marvel at how God by Ruth Black made it all happen. How he took me, a disorganized, anxious college student, and gave me the courage to take one step at a time toward that I’ll never forget my Junior year of college. I was a grand adventure. And I could never have made it mission major at a small Christian college, and I was without the commiseration and support of my dear preparing for the mission trip overseas that I was friends. required to go on that summer. It was quite a project. Excitement and nerves battled within me as I Sometimes, I still feel fearful and overwhelmed attempted to raise funds, handle a myriad of travel when I gaze into the future. It is in those moments plans and other details. I was thrilled to be heading that remembering how God guided me in the past to the beautiful country of Spain for a two-month is especially helpful. And I think of how necessary stay that summer with veteran missionaries. But good friends are in this journey of life, whether I’m in the meantime, I still had classes to attend and on my way to a foreign country or simply trying to homework to do, not to mention work and church navigate the daily adventure of parenting. Good responsibilities. I was seriously overwhelmed. friends are priceless gifts from a good God. But in the midst of it all, I had two friends who were in the same boat as me. One friend was headed to Bolivia for the summer. The other friend was preparing to go to Thailand. All of us felt way over our heads and out of our league. We were all shy young women. I remember meeting with my two friends to pray, pleading with God to help us and be with us as we prepared to go to the mission field. Having the support and camaraderie of those two friends was crucial at that time in my life. I’m happy to say that all three of us survived our fundraising and planning, and all of us ended up having wonderful experiences on our respective mission trips. My time in Spain was absolutely amazing. From the moment I stepped off the plane after my long flight, my missionary hosts made me
Ruth Black has worked in various jobs throughout the years but is currently blessed to work as a stay-at-home mom. She is married to her husband, Matt. Together they are raising a sweet, but ornery, three-year-old son, James. Besides writing, Ruth enjoys playing piano, reading (mainly historical fiction and cozy mysteries), baking, and exploring the trails that surround the Bible college campus where she and her family serve in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky. Ruth occasionally blogs at https://littlemoments-bigdreams.blogspot.com/?m=1. She loves writing about motherhood, trusting God in the seasons of life, and the importance of digging into the Scriptures as a wife and mom. Most of all, Ruth desires to see Christ glorified through her life and her writing.
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