Are you a part of a circle of women? Are you intrigued by watching groups of women in public? I love to observe groups of women out having fun, interacting: the loud group who is living life large, belly laughing until they cry, not caring if they are being watched; the group huddled close and crying, not wanting to be the center of attention, but sharing a serious moment they are all invested in; and finally the woman who is alone, watching both groups desperately wishing to be a part of a circle.  

I want to know their stories, how they met, how they formed bonds, what they have endured together, how the different seasons of life have shaped and molded who they are today. I have my own circle—we have been friends forever, some over 40 years. We have locked arms and experienced all life has thrown our way. Marriage, divorce, kids, parents, addiction, death, jobs, and more, but we have enjoyed laughter until we not only cry but pee (TMI but honest), birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, vacations, and everyday moments like running errands together or grabbing a quick coffee. We do it all together.  

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We have grown together, I have been called at midnight with sobs coming from my phone, and I have had my own midnight hour when they answered their phones. We have seen and been seen in the worst moments, we have literally laid across a bed crying because there was nothing to be done but simply be present. We can sit in silence not filling the space with our voices but with unspoken love, grace, trust, and faith in God. We are those women.

Recently I had a health scare, and they walked with me every step of the way. Doctor’s visits, testing, and procedures. They constantly prayed with me and for me. When I was wavering in faith, they loaned me theirs. As I battled the generational curse of heart disease, one of them drew a line in the sand and prayed not only for my healing but that it would end with me.

In the waiting and uncertainty, they all pointed me back to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. They held me (and my husband) up to God almighty. As some of them gathered around my hospital bed to pray (others joined from various places) before I was wheeled off to have stents put in, heaven came down into that room with us and God answered those prayers. It was only 15 minutes before they were having a conversation with my doctor—he didn’t put stents in. God healed me!

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Their faith, along with others, took me to Jesus. It was at this moment that I realized my friends would cut a hole in the roof to get me to Jesus. We are those people. “But our way is not that of THOSE who shrink back to destruction, but (we are) of THOSE who believe (relying on God through faith in Jesus Christ, the Messiah) and by this confident faith preserve the soul” (Hebrews 10:39, AMP).

We are by far the craziest, loudest, most loving bunch together. We will continue to watch other groups of women. We have been known to go introduce ourselves and ask questions. When we hear “your circle matters,” we answer “yes, it does!” We know we can’t do this life alone, and we wouldn’t want to. I pray that each of you finds a circle. Circles never end.