Relationship Restored

Relationship Restored

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

I’ve joked that when Tim and I “grow up,” we want to be like my brother-in-law Phil and his wife, Marlene. As retired engineers, they own a consulting business and tackle projects as they have the time and inclination. Their hard work is interspersed with lengthy trips abroad immersed in countries like India, Japan, and Turkey.

As someone who loves to travel, I’m inspired by their adventures, but I’m even more impressed by their heart for others. As consummate hosts, they have welcomed us—and our friends—into their home on numerous occasions. They take a genuine interest in our lives, love our children, encourage us in our parenting, and are just plain fun to be around.

To me, the sweetest part is that it’s a relationship restored. Back in 2006 when my husband and I met, he and his brother rarely spoke. The two of them are twenty-three years apart in age and didn’t grow up in the same household, never developing a strong connection. During my husband’s childhood and young adulthood, Phil and Marlene were busy with their own children and careers, and their interactions with Tim were infrequent. It wasn’t really a surprise when they decided not to attend our wedding, but my husband was still a little crushed. Resolving to make a real effort to get to know his brother, he began to forge a connection, beginning with our first trip out to California to visit them in 2008.

Over the past decade, the relationship has strengthened. Tim and Phil are brothers but also friends, both possessing the same goofy sense of humor. Their relationship is a reminder to me that we serve a God of hope—one who can heal and restore relationships. When we trust in his timing, that God-breathed hope can provide us with the courage to reconnect. Though time and distance may fray our friendships, unless the connection is harmful or unsafe, there is always the hope of restoration.

— Kristin

— Today’s Act of Friendship —

Think of a friendship or relationship that needs restoration, then take one step toward mending the relationship.