Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Romans 12:9-13

Part Two of my post from Thursday’s WARM Cafe event addresses the “beautiful hospitality from friends” part of the equation.

Over the years, Rebekah and I have been singularly blessed in the friends department. Everywhere from the “we’re all in the same boat” craziness of raising children in Pensacola, then raising teens in Brandon and finally caring for aging parents when we lived in Wake Forest – to people we simply can’t help but love because they are such beautiful examples of what it means to be caring and loving human beings.

This all adds up to literally hundreds of friends we could confidently say that we love and trust in ways that many people spend a lifetime trying and failing to find. Rebekah and I are just that blessed.

Generous Grace:

This generous grace includes our friends Resi and Keith, who happened to land at Wake Forest Presbyterian Church when Rebekah was pastor, not so much by chance as due to the machinations of divine providence. Now we feel as if we have been close for decades.

It was the Thomases who invited us to Thursday’s WARM Cafe banquet, and it was their invitation to stay over that made it possible for us to hang around after the auction and enjoy reconnecting with so many others.

Add to that the fact that Max is great friends with their five-year-old golden, Emmy, and we were able to relax at la casa Thomas, talk well into the night Thursday and sleep in for a late brunch before returning home here to the hinterlands east of I-95.

Rebekah and I so very grateful for the extended family of remarkable friends we have. There is something priceless about the winsome goodness, the uncontrived genuineness and the natural generosity of so many good folk that speaks to me of the wonder and the deep joy that will be the hallmark of heaven.

We just happen to be next-level fortunate in terms of being able to experience some of that unrestrained grace here in our life on this Good Earth.

So thanks Keith and Resi, along with all of our other beautiful friends, for reminding us how liberally and deeply blessed that we are – DEREK