This last weekend thirty of my friends and I went fishing up at Roche Lake and had an awesome time together teasing, making fun of each other, putting up with each others snoring, just being guys together. We had a blast expressing our hu-man-ity, beating our chests, avoiding showers and shaving and enjoying cholesterol and all meat meals.

Besides all the caveman cavorting we were able to be men who love being men who love other men in a very real and transparent way.

Yes, I did say thirty friends.

You say, “I wish I had thirty friends…”

These guys are all from my Church, and somehow we all get along and actually like each other so much we can spend a weekend together trying to catch the most or biggest fish so our name is engraved on a gawky second hand trophy.

The richest relationships I have are with my brothers from the Church, that is why we call our Men’s ministry, ‘A Band Of Brothers’.

We are building lasting supportive relationships where we encourage, assist, mentor, hug and even cry on occasion because we love each other as brothers.

The rainbow trout dancing on our lines is always a bonus. It’s the deep relationships and bonding that we experience that keeps us coming back year after year. We all want and need friends. The Church is a great place to make lasting friendships and experience brotherhood. I hope you can come with us next year…see if you can put up with my snoring…

   Just as I was finishing, my brother-in-law drove by, saw my garage wide open and spotted me hanging on a corner of the roof doing my reindeer impression. I waved and made a funny face at him and he returned it warmly as he passed by heading who knows where. Moments later I heard a noise and there he was pulled up in my driveway. He had deliberately turned around, put his agenda on hold, and stopped in to chat it up with me.

   I tend to take my cues quite responsibly and since I had numb fingers, and had run out of garland, I quickly suggested he come in and sit down for a cup of coffee and a visit. He gladly complied — after all, he changed his plan for my sake it seems, or perhaps because we share a healthy relationship. He values my friendship and knows I value his.

   This friendly encounter with my brother-in-law reminded me of God’s interest in meeting with you and I. It’s quite interesting to me how ready God is to meet and talk with us and enjoy our interaction with Him. he’s very interested in our lives and thrilled to engage with us about it in great detail and enthusiasm.

   I have come to truly believe that He would love it if you would turn your truck around, put your daily agenda on hold and pull into His driveway for an assumed coffee visit. After all, it is a relationship and He’s always ready to meet and talk. Are you?