A person with unfaithful friends soon comes to ruin. But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. ~ Proverbs 18:24
How precious is a close friend! They are worth more than precious gems. Whenever I think of close friends, I think of David and Jonathan. First of all, they were unlikely buddies because Jonathan’s father was actively seeking to kill David. So Jonathan was sacrificing not only his relationship with his father, and most likely his whole family, but he was also sacrificing his future as the king of Israel, yet he was willing to give up his future—the wealth, the power, his place in history, and his family for David. He did this when he helped David escape. A close friend sacrifices for his friend. Whenever we read this story in 1 Samuel, we focus on David, but Jonathan had the most to lose. Have you had a friend who sacrificed for you?
Two of my friends come to mind: Miriam and Twianne. No, they didn’t have to sacrifice family and future for me, but they were there for me when I needed them. When my husband died, they were on the phone with me; they flew to be with me and help me sort out issues I had no idea how to deal with. And it didn’t end there. They kept checking up on me throughout the next year. I am fortunate indeed.
Close friends stick close even as time passes. They don’t let distance or the years separate them. Have you ever had a friend who remains close even though separated by space or time? Both Twianne and Miriam live in Canada, yet whenever we speak, we’re as close as ever.
Close friends tell you the truth. They want the best for you, even if it means giving you advice you don’t want to hear. Have you been a friend like that? My sister is involved with a catfish. She doesn’t want to hear another person tell her the person on the other end of the text is not who he claims to be. Yet we must tell her.
In A Friend in High Places, my newest release, Kelly is going through her Aunt Claudia’s estate, when she discovers a secret her favorite aunt had never told her. Research into the issue shows that her aunt, due to a simple misunderstanding, missed out on the love of her life. If Kelly could just go back in time and warn her, Claudia wouldn’t make such a mistake.
Good friends will go to any lengths to help their friends. Do you have any friends who are going down the wrong path? When does helping them become meddling?
On Facebook, I have over a thousand friends, but most wouldn’t recognize me in a crowd. But I am fortunate indeed to have at least two friends who are as valuable as precious gems. They listen; they don’t judge; they go beyond pressing a like button. We don’t need a lot of close friends, but we need at least one.
Kelly’s favorite aunt Claudia has passed away, and Kelly has come to Pasadena to settle her aunt’s estate and prepare her bungalow to put up for sale. It’s while she’s cleaning out the attic that she discovers things about her aunt’s past that make her question everything. Was her aunt married? If so, who was that man at the cemetery? After reading the stack of love letters between Claudia and William, Kelly sees that a simple wrong assumption changed everything. If only she could go back and make things right…
Sherri Stewart writes historical and contemporary romance and romantic suspense. She’s authored five novels and a dozen novellas. Her former careers as principal, French teacher, flight attendant, and immigration attorney have provided many storylines for her books. Sherri’s passion is traveling to the settings of her books—Israel, the Netherlands, Paris, and closer spots around the US, such as Rhode Island and Route 66. A recent widow, she lives in the Orlando area with her strong-willed dog, Lilith, and her son, Joshua, who can fix anything. Visit her online at stewartwriting.com and subscribe to her newsletter.
I love all of Sherri’s books and am eager to read this one.
Thanks, Pat