“…A sweet friendship refreshes the soul”
Proverbs 27:9 the Message
Moving to San Diego from Minneapolis was a huge transition for me. My family (even extended family) and friends (preschool-college and beyond) all lived in the Twin Cities. If there were to have been a category in my high school year book titled, “Least Likely to Leave Minnesota” my picture would have been just below those words.
My husband and I, along with our two-year-old and baby moved to California for his job. At first I felt as if I was in another country. The streets had Spanish names like Jamacha (pronounced Ham-ishaw) and when I would ask someone for directions the response was “No hablo Ingeles”. It’s a miracle I found my way around town!
One Sunday, we were church shopping and visiting one close to our home. We happened to run into one of Tom’s work buddies. I immediately was drawn to his wife. I thought, “I love her laugh and smile. She is so gorgeous I wonder if she would be my friend.”
Perry and Becky Clark, with their three-year-old had been uprooted from Texas. I discovered Becky was close to her family as well. Both of us young moms clung to each other. We went for walks, met for coffee, joined a health club, had kid play dates, watched each other’s children, and got together as couples. We shared our hearts and lives.
We still do but at a distance. The Clarks now live in Tulsa and we live in Denver. They have two kids and we have four. We have gone through the journeys of job loss, moving, adoption, parent deaths and many other things together. Becky always listens, loves, and laughs. She is my friend.
Who is your gal pal? How has that relationship made you a better person?
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Lori Wildenberg Speaker, Licensed Parent and Family Educator, co-author of EMPOWERED PARENTS: Putting Faith First (Wildenberg & Danielson), and co-columnist for the Parenting Prose column in Marriage Magazine. Lori lives in Colorado with her husband and four children. Visit http://www.loriwildenberg.com for more information.
I love your post, Lori. I have a “gal pal” that I actually prayed into my life. For the first time in over 20 years I lacked a close intimate relationship. I longed for one and took my list of what I felt I needed to the Lord. I was so specific that I actually said, “Lord, I know this is a tall order request …”
I even prayed, “I have no idea where she will come from, what she will look like, if I already know her, or if she’s someone I’ve never met. All I know is, I need someone, like … now … and it takes a while to cultivate a close intimate friendship…” 
Within 3 months he brought someone NEW in to my life. I had no idea this was who I prayed for. But, within 6 months it became clear that this ole’ Baptist girl had been connected with a charasmatic, spirit-filled Christian. 
One thing that made my prayer a “tall order” type request was that she be a maternal friend. The day she said, “tell me about the loss of your mom. I promise to care for you with a Mother’s heart.” She’s only 10 years older than me, but she is that maternal, sister, friend (all rolled into one amazing package). She’s now my ministry partner and we are embarking on publishing an Ebook and a tele-seminar on how to become and be an Eternity Sister (also known as a gal pall or BFF, sent from God). Her name is Karen Jantzi and she has Treasured Woman Network (& Fellowship).