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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Friendship (04/04/05)
It was late in the evening when I realized that my necklace was missing. I searched for hours throughout the apartment as tears streamed down my face. My heart felt broken into a million tiny pieces. The one thing,the only thing I had left was gone. The necklace held a small silver heart locket. The last gift from my brother-n-law and sister. Just seven months earlier, my brother-n-law had been killed in a tragic accident involving his semi. Inside the locket rested a tiny photo of my dearest friend who meant so much to me that she called me her precious daughter and I called her my momma. The photograph was all I had now because just five days before my brother-n-law's tragic accident, my momma had also passed away from complications after having a brain anuerism.

The months that led up to the funerals were full of heartache as well. I had been diagnosed as having fibromyalgia at the age of twenty- six, a chronic illness that causes severe and debilitating muscle pain, my husband,young daughter and I lost our home, and we almost lost our marriage. It was safe to say that I was completely overwhelmed. Somehow wearing that silver heart around my neck brought great and unexplainable comfort.

As the hours passed I begged God to help me find it but it never happened. I cried just as hard as I had cried during the funerals. My tears never left me for the first week. My husband tried to comfort me and tell me not to cry but I couldn't help it. I just kept thinking that the locket was all I had left and now it was gone.

Finally, I realized that the only way I could be at peace was to rest in the Lord's arms. Without the locket to distract me, the Lord began to show me that it wasn't the locket I was grieving for. For the first time since the funerals, I'd allowed myself to let go of all the pain I'd been holding. I quit fighting the tears and anger that was within. I realized that I was not all fine. I was in so much pain that I could barely function physically and emotionally and I was quickly losing faith. I turned it all over to God and just allowed His presence to comfort me during my time of mourning.
It had been three weeks since the night I'd lost my locket and eight months since losing my only friend and my brother-n-law. Still seeking the Lord's guidance in my writing,I was searching online when I found a challenge on friendship of all things.

I felt led to write something, anything, even though I wasn't sure I could make a deadline because I never had one before. Still, I felt so led to pick up my notebook and begin writing.
"My notebook, where was my notebook exactly ?" I wondered. "Oh well, I'll just have to make a first draft on loose paper," I thought to myself as I reached for my binder.

Tears of joy flooded my eyes as out from my writing binder fell the silver locket.

At that moment I realized the power of friendship. Yes, the Lord had supplied me with some wonderful friends and I was so honored to have known them before He called them home. But, there is one friend who will never say "good-bye". His love is merciful and eternal. His love is powerful! What an honor to have Jesus call me His friend.

Tommorrow when I place the locket around my neck, I will remember God's grace. The locket will no longer be a way of not showing my feelings. It will become an outward show and personal testimony of God's love. For as something as simple as a prayer to find a missing locket was answered, but not without a lesson from my best friend and Savior on the true meaning of friendship.
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Member Comments
Member
Date
Delores Baber
04/11/05
Wow! This story blew me away! Thank you for sharing this painful yet insightful time in your life. You expressed your feelings clearly and God supplied a great ending.
Carol Dee Meeks
04/12/05
I hope you continue to improve and the pain fades. Keep your eyes on God, and He will carry you THROUGH.
darlene hight
04/12/05
Beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing it and the hope you have in Christ.
Dixie Phillips
04/16/05
Do you remember in the Old Testament how the God's children would build altars to help them to remember what God did in a certain place. Then, they were to tell it to their children and their children's children.... Your beautiful story reminded me of that! What a LEGACY OF GOD'S FAITHFULNESS to you.... through a visual.... (the locket) you have to share. Every time you look at that locket may your heart shout, "GOD HAS BEEN SO FAITHFUL TO ME!" Your story is an example of God giving BEAUTY FOR ASHES........ THE OIL OF JOY FOR MOURNING.... THE GARMENT OF PRAISE FOR THE SPIRIT OF HEAVINESS..... Oh, my dear sister-in-Christ! Emmanuel... God is with you! Thanks for such a beautiful story. It made my day!
Deborah Porter 
04/19/05
Hi there Lisa. I probably won't get to do this every week, but I'll try to do it as often as I can. I really just wanted to let you know that "The Locket" made it into the semi-finalist list for the Friendship Challenge. Be encouraged - you were right up there with the winners. With love, Deb (Challenge Co-ordinator)