Who do you most want to encourage this year?

Over the last year, I have loved getting to know a young woman from church. We're in the same profession, which is probably how we started talking, but our friendship has gone far beyond chit-chat about work. Of course, when we are together, we often compare patients or discuss potential diagnoses too, but our friendship has been built on our faith and our difficulties and struggles as we pursue biblical womanhood. We have spent hours talking, praying, reading together as we try to see what the Bible has to say to us and how to live it out. I hope we have been an encouragement and a blessing each other. I know I have grown so much through her friendship and I hope I have been an encourager to her.

I want to particularly pray for her as she, after being abandoned by her husband a few years ago, has now entered a time of courtship with a wonderful sound man. It has been so exciting to see this and I hope I can continue to be there for her, challenging and encouraging her through everything that this next year will bring.

For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you - that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine.
Romans 1:11-12