Vulnerability

It is really hard to be vulnerable with someone. There seems to be so much to lose! A sense of security and pride. An important facade. A certain reputation. A fear of being hurt & judged. I hold to these things with a death-grip.

When conversation takes a step deeper, I have a choice to make: Keep it simple and surface-level (oh, how many times have I just stayed there!) or open up, test the waters and dive in.

A vulnerable, open heart is just what I need to have sometimes. Sharing our hurts, our struggles, our joys and our journeys is what friendships are made of... and made for! When I let pride or fears get in the way of my vulnerability, I miss out on the blessing true friendships can be. God uses friends in our lives - old ones and new ones - to teach us things, to guide us with their words, encourage us and comfort us.

Good friends serve as our cohorts on the mission to be who we're created to be. And friends don't become good friends without some good soul-bearing vulnerability once in a while.

I've been blessed by some wonderful conversations with some friends lately. I feel as if the blessings were just there waiting for the opening up to occur. I'm so thrilled I chose to dive in.