thirst.

Relationships are funny.

Some of my relationships suck all the life from me.  Some pour it back in.  Some just kind of sit stagnant, waiting for the slightest glimpse of life.

Some relationships make me thirst.

Those are the relationships that I absolutely adore.  There’s no doubt that these relationships endure forever.  They’re the relationships that keep pushing me until I have to stop, doubled over, gasping for air . . .

And all I want is more.

They push me to be more Christ-like, to exemplify Him in all that I do.  They give me an unquenchable thirst and desire to know God.

Of course, I know who God is.  I grew up knowing who He is through Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, Bible Drill and every other activity my church offered.  But, I can never fully know God.

My first thirst-inducing relationships were with my parents.  If I ever came to one of them with a question about God or Christianity, they replied with a standard format:

“This is what we believe . . . Now, go look in your Bible and find out for yourself.”  And so I would.

There was one period of time when I was sick and unable to attend church for several Sundays.  My mother stayed home with me, as she always did when a child was sick.  Instead of watching cartoons, we snuggled up into her bed and dove into the Word.

My Mama introduced me to Esther during this time.  I began to wish I didn’t have to go back to church, just so I could spend time with Mama, reading with her and hanging onto her every word as she told me about the woman who trusted God and risked death to save her people.

I didn’t hear stories like this in Sunday School.  There were no felt diagrams.  No sniggering friends when Mary rides to Bethlehem on an ass.  Just Mama, the Word of God, and me.

And I thirsted for more.

College brought every kind of relationship imaginable.  But, it’s only been my best friend, my Bible Study leader and mentor, and, most recently, my boyfriend who have made me thirst.

God uses each of these magnificent people uniquely.  They push me, challenge me, inspire me, hold me accountable and teach me – each in their own way.

It’s a beauty I don’t always realize. 
A blessing I often take for granted. 
And something for which I am truly thankful.

These relationships are necessary for growth in anyone. 

What relationships make you thirst?