Sometimes we need a God with skin.

I love friendships. I love friends that you don't expect and that you know are straight from God.

I am not great at sharing my feelings, I actually hate feeling vulnerable unless I know that I am in a safe place. Recently I found myself sharing deep pressures of my heart in the car with a new friend.
I dropped her off and one word came to mind, shit. I had said too much, was I too vulnerable?

I got home to open up my email and in my inbox was a message. Subject: Rachel!
It was from my new friend. She sent me the most encouraging letter, sharing her similar struggles. It was so good to hear that I am not alone in my crazy thoughts. That's why God calls us into fellowship with people. This is why He wants us to pray together, for each other. We need other people to know our hearts.

Isn't it great when true honesty and humility enters into a friendship?

At the end of the email, I felt grace pour down from heaven and God tell me how much He loves me, how great He thinks I am, and how it is not because of anything I have done or not done.

He loves me. My new friend was a "God with skin" as my Mom calls them. She encouraged and loved me as God does, and for that I am ever-grateful.