It was worth it...

I went to an Al-Anon meeting with my friend. Her life has been completely changed through AA and Al-Anon, so she's been bugging me to go with her for a long time. I met this gal about 4 years ago through church, and feel privileged to have watched her go from questioning whether following Christ was for her, to the Christ-follower she now is. She also stopped drinking, and is three years sober. It's pretty awesome. She tells me that a lot of where she is today, is because of me. It makes me cry. I remember, as her small group leader, not being able to sleep sometimes, because of the "mother hen" feelings I had for her. I was very protective of what was said in our small group, because I didn't want to confuse her, and I wanted everything to be simplified for her. There were people (mostly Christians who were further along in their walk) who would say the stupidest things in that group, and I wanted to go slap them for causing these baby/seeker Christians to stumble on anything. I was so burdened for their coming to Christ and their growth. I put everything I had into making that group a safe place for those "babies." So, to have her tell me what I meant to her, makes all of that angst and concern and worry worth it......

Now she's helping me, not with alcoholism, but other life struggles. She's done a lot of work on herself, and she's seen a lot of real stuff through AA, so she is able to help others now. It's cool. I'm so proud of her, and I'm so thankful to God for allowing me to watch over her, God's little lamb, who has now grown up into a fine sheep, if I must say so myself....