# 1 Reason Your My Best Friend.....

"We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies…he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus."
(2 Cor 4:8-11)



Now that's a BFF... Someone who finds you when your lost. I tend to get lost every now and then.. so it brings me peace to know I have a friend like Jesus. Over the past 5 years, He and I have become pretty close friends. He and I have shared the good, bad and the very ugly parts of life together. I have to say that it's been the ugly parts of life where I've gotten to know him best...

We are told that we will know Jesus better by sharing in His sufferings. What does it mean to share in His suffering and why is it so important to share? Bottom line- He is the only one who has the cure for the "ugly" parts of life. I truly believe, I never would have seen the importance of this great pearl of wisdom without suffering an UGLY that the world could not cure.


There is no "cure" for death. Think about it ... Have you ever attended a school fundraiser or benefit dinner or joined a cause on facebook that wanted to raise money to cure death. I am aware that we raise money to stop things that cause death.. but once it happens there is no turning back. We are forced to deal with the effect's, too many to name. I would rather get to the point....heap them all together and you get one big pile of "suffering".

Suffering is hard. Doctors have no magic pill to make it easier.. Oprah has not aired a show that reveals a way to avoid the effects of suffering.... The President has not issued a new stimulus package to help move us through it faster. My opinion, the worlds solutions for suffering only prolongs it and make it worse. They may offer short term relief, but rarely do they move you forward to find hope.

Hope is the "cure" for suffering. My hope is knowing Jack is in Heaven and this suffering is temporary. What has opened my eyes to this hope? The words spoken by my friend, Jesus Christ. A true friend that shared in my suffering. His love found me when I was alone and hurting. He waited patiently with me, at each stage of grief ,until I was ready to move forward. Not forcing His way on me led me to asking questions?

How did Jesus suffer? He suffered gracefully ... Why? because He himself is grace. His example to me of how I should suffer allowed me to see just how much He loves me. He gave his life so I could have hope to see Jack again! What else could I ever want? So,to share in His suffering is a no brainer... It is my honor!
As I join with Him by faith, He extends the grace I need to heal. This does two things ... It allows my suffering to be transformed by grace into something sweet that can be offered to another that is also suffering. My hope is to always be working out death so the sweetness of the son of God can be ushered in and offered out...

Jesus, thanks for sharing life with me....
your friend- Julie Peck

I must give thanks to "Ozzy" for the inspiration today...

"We have to form habits to express what God's grace has done in us. It is not a question of being saved from hell, but of being saved in order to manifest the life of the Son of God in our mortal flesh, and it is the disagreeable things which make us the exhibit whether or not we are manifesting His life.
Do I manifest the essential sweetness of the Son of God, or the essential irritation of myself apart from Him?"