When God asked me to retire from a company that I love and to leave a position created just for me and my skill set, I told Him I would obey (or try to obey in my human flesh) every day.  Day one of retirement I awoke at 5:00am and felt prompted to start reading the Bible.  In obedience, I pulled the Bible from my nightstand, turned on a lamp and started reading.  While reading, God asked me to invite some women into a Bible-reading program.  I was not overly comfortable with that idea.  Still, I obeyed, and one woman said she would like to try to the program with me.

Just two of us reading the Bible together might seem unsuccessful in human eyes.  Success in human eyes seems to involve many people and many things.  However, obedience to God has resulted in a growing friendship with this brave woman.  We pray for each other, hold each other accountable, and encourage each other in life.  Iron sharpens iron.

God made us to be connected to others in love.  Obedience has blessed me with a friendship that I think will last a lifetime.

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.  Proverbs 27:17