I have felt the absence of close, godly friendships around me many times. Because of the nature of the work I do, I travel extensively across countries, cultures and sometimes continents. I am rarely in one place long enough to build the kind of consistent relationships that grow through shared Sabbaths, regular conversations and everyday life together. Even when I am home, my rhythm often feels different, and at times I sense that I do not fully belong anywhere.
More than once, I have found myself praying a simple prayer: “Lord, please give me godly friends.” I pray for friends with whom I can talk openly, pray deeply, and grow spiritually.
While this remains a beautiful and valid desire, God has been gently redirecting my heart to a different question: What if, instead of only asking for godly friends, I ask Him to make me one?
Being a godly friend does not always look the same. Sometimes, it takes the form of a deep and lasting relationship. Other times, it may be as simple as truly listening to someone, offering encouragement at the right moment, or sharing hope in a brief encounter with a person I may never meet again. In every setting, with every person, I have the opportunity to reflect a portion of God’s character.
This perspective changes everything. Instead of focusing on what I may be missing, I begin to see what I can offer. Instead of waiting for connection, I become a carrier of it.
In many ways, this is at the heart of missions. The world is not only in need of information about God; it is in desperate need of people who embody His love in real, tangible ways. People who listen, who care and who notice. People who show up. People who, in places both familiar and unfamiliar, become a reflection of the Friend for whom we all long.
Whether I am at home or far from it, surrounded by community or passing through for a moment, God calls me to be that kind of presence—a godly friend in a world that longs for connection.
As you read this issue, I invite you to see missions through this simple, yet powerful lens. The call is not only to go somewhere far away, but to become someone different, someone through whom God can reach others. Whether in a distant place or right where you are, the invitation remains the same: to be a godly friend, a living expression of His love, in a world that desperately needs it.
