In the most recent issue of Living Lutheran, Robert C. Blezard writes about friendship, and quotes Linda Staats, a member of Faith Lutheran Church, Phoenix, who recalls The Message translation of Proverbs 18:24: “Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family.”
Staats finds that to be true for a lifelong group of seven girls who grew up in the same small town in Iowa. Now scattered across five states, they stay in touch by email, text and videoconferencing, and gather once a year. “Faithful, lifelong friends—a very rare treasure, indeed!” Staats said.