A Steady Kind of Love

There are some people I truly believe God sends into our lives just when we need them most. They may never fully realize the role they have played in our story, but in our hearts, they will never be forgotten.

“A friend loveth at all times…” Proverbs 17:17

Recently, my family and I went to surprise a dear friend, Sister Sherie, who had returned from a trip to Alaska. I walked in carrying a beautiful bouquet of roses for her, only to discover that somehow, while we were trying to surprise her, she was prepared to bless us too. She had brought back little purses and treats for my girls and beautiful Alaska socks for my husband and son. Then came the snacks, washing powder, disinfectant sprays and the little household essentials she regularly sends home with me. I couldn’t help but smile. That’s Sister Sherie. Even when you’re trying to give to her, she’s still finding a way to give to you.

I met Sister Sherie in 2018 during one of the darkest seasons of my life. We attended the same church but didn’t really know one another. One Sunday after service, I went forward for prayer and was encouraged to attend Celebrate Recovery. I assumed the program was only for people recovering from substance addiction, but I learned that it was also a safe place for people carrying hurts, habits and hang-ups. At the time, my marriage of 11 years had unexpectedly ended, I was raising young children through major transitions, and my heart was incredibly heavy. That one prayer led me into a room filled with women from different backgrounds carrying different stories, and somewhere in that sisterhood, God gave me Sister Sherie.

Eight years later, although I eventually moved on from that church, she never moved out of my life. She has shown up for school events, celebrated my children, visited my home and welcomed me into hers. She has seen some of my highest moments and celebrated right along with me, and she has seen some of my lowest without making me feel judged. Our families have become family. And yes, she still pulls up with her goodies. Sometimes things from her family’s garden, sometimes snacks for the children, sometimes household supplies that you wouldn’t even think to give someone but somehow come right when they’re needed.

My family story has taught me that support doesn’t always arrive through the traditional relationships we expect it to. Sometimes God builds family around us in other ways. Sometimes family isn’t just linked by blood, it’s through those who show up willingly with consistently in love. I thank God for the village individuals who have adopted us as family.

Sister Sherie has been one of those gifts in my life. Our friendship has been a place where I can share good news and hard news and, through all the seasons since 2018, I’ve never had to question where I stood. There is something deeply comforting about a love that is simply consistent.

We live in a world where so much can change. As mothers, we watch our children change from one season to the next, and sometimes we can’t even stay committed to the same hairstyle for long. Yet beneath all of life’s inconsistencies is the unwavering love of Christ. While I am grateful for the steady relationships God allows us to experience here on earth, even the best of them are only a glimpse of the One whose love never changes, never wavers, and never leaves us.

I have felt God’s love through my Sister Sherie. And after all these years, I realize that one of His greatest gifts to me wasn’t simply sending someone when I needed her most. It was allowing her to stay. Sometimes we look for God to show His love for us in enormous ways, while He is quietly showing it through people. The person who keeps showing up, the one who remembers your children, celebrates your victories, sits with you in your valleys, brings vegetables from the garden, or sends you home with washing powder because she thought you might need it. What may look like little things can become some of the biggest reminders that we are loved.