{"id":1722,"date":"2011-09-27T01:00:48","date_gmt":"2011-09-27T05:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/simplelife\/?p=1722"},"modified":"2011-09-26T00:58:49","modified_gmt":"2011-09-26T04:58:49","slug":"when-a-trusted-friend-leaves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/simplelife\/2011\/09\/when-a-trusted-friend-leaves.html","title":{"rendered":"When a trusted friend leaves"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today, during Special Gathering worship, we said good-bye to a dear and trusted friend who is moving away. \u00a0Erik came to us seven years ago and he has done more tasks that I can name.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>For me, he has been a person of value helping, teaching, ministering, loading equipment, and leading praise. \u00a0Regarding ministry within the mentally challenged community, there are few people who dare to jump into the work as Erik has done. \u00a0He will be greatly missed.<\/p>\n

I’m a bit surprised that Special Gathering ministry has become as dependent on this young man. I am strangely feeling as though I’m once again sitting on my brother’s bike trying to get my balance. Nevertheless, I am reassured that God will help all of us and that things will come back together as soon as I gain the courage and experience to push away from the fence.<\/p>\n

The Psalmist said, “Because your love is better than life, I will praise you. \u00a0I will praise you as long as I live. \u00a0I will lift my hands in prayer to your name. \u00a0I will be content as if I had eaten the best food. \u00a0My lips will sing and my mouth will praise you” (Psalm 63:3-5).<\/p>\n

Are you facing a new experience that has left you unsure of yourself? \u00a0How will you appropriate your faith in God to help you regain your equilibrium?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Today, during Special Gathering worship, we said good-bye to a dear and trusted friend who is moving away. \u00a0Erik came to us seven years ago and he has done more tasks that I can name. For me, he has been a person of value helping, teaching, ministering, loading equipment, and leading praise. \u00a0Regarding ministry within…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":387,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,20,40,186,49,1],"tags":[690,688,7,699,715,701,694,689,6,700],"class_list":["post-1722","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-christianity","category-church","category-faith","category-hope","category-inspiration","category-uncategorized","tag-autism-spectrum","tag-christianity","tag-developmental-disabilities-2","tag-faith","tag-hope","tag-inspiration","tag-intellectual-disability","tag-mentally-challenged-community","tag-simple-scriptural-truths","tag-spirituality"],"yoast_head":"\nWhen a trusted friend leaves - A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/simplelife\/2011\/09\/when-a-trusted-friend-leaves.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"When a trusted friend leaves - A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Today, during Special Gathering worship, we said good-bye to a dear and trusted friend who is moving away. \u00a0Erik came to us seven years ago and he has done more tasks that I can name. For me, he has been a person of value helping, teaching, ministering, loading equipment, and leading praise. \u00a0Regarding ministry within…\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/simplelife\/2011\/09\/when-a-trusted-friend-leaves.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2011-09-27T05:00:48+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2011-09-26T04:58:49+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/simplelife\/files\/2011\/09\/su_A01_weather_0620_t225-150x149.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Linda G. 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