By Mary DeMuth

Launching my 36^th book about dysfunctional friendships was one of those faith journeys for me. The book represented some of my most tender spots, and I felt very vulnerable as I released those words out into the world, so much so that I asked my prayer team and Life Group at church to pray for me.

The day progressed fairly uneventfully, though I found myself stressed as I checked the Amazon stats. (Note to self: don’t do that!) I gave an interview where one of the questions stirred up for me a difficult memory of a friendship gone south, and I found myself stumbling over my words. How do you talk about that publicly without naming names or protecting the identity of the one who wounded you?

You see, in the past two years I sadly walked through a friendship blowup. And although I thought I was healing, the question posed brought it back front of mind, on the very day my friendship book released. And all those words flung my way haunted me afresh. Maybe I was a terrible friend. Maybe I didn’t know how to love well. Maybe I was awful. We had been the iron-sharpening-iron type of friends, and I felt the loss in my gut.

I felt raw as I entertained those thoughts for far too long.

Then the doorbell rang.

I opened it to a smiling woman holding flowers in front of her. “Have a nice day,” she said.

I figured the beautiful bouquet was a gift from my publishing house, but as I sat down and read the card, the tears came.

“Iron sharpens iron. Grateful to be in a sharpening friendship with you—it breathes life!”

No name graced the flowers’ card. I don’t know who sent them. (I’m pretty sure it’s not my broken friendship). But it was exactly what I needed in that moment. It caused me to shift from the overwhelming sadness of one friendship demise to the powerful truth that I had amazing friends in my life right now who loved me, appreciated my heart, and saw me for who I was. Flowers and words salved the wound, and for that I’m grateful.

Click to tweet: Small Acts of Kindness: Iron Sharpens Iron by Mary DeMuth #friendship #amreading

Mary DeMuth is an international speaker and podcaster, and she’s the novelist and nonfiction author of over thirty-five books, including the latest: The Seven Deadly Friendships (Harvest House Publishers 2018). She loves to help people re-story their lives. She lives in Texas with her husband of 28 years and is the mom to three adult children. Find out more at marydemuth.com. Take a test to find out which toxic relationship you’re experiencing here: http://www.7deadlyfriendships.com