I learn a lot at lunch. I have a pretty limited palate which simply means that I enjoy chicken salad and Coca Cola more than most. When it comes to food if it is not easy to pronounce and identify, I’m just not that interested.  So I count those who meet me for lunch as friends, not just acquaintances.  After all, they could be dining at any number of fascinating eateries all over town but choose to eat with me instead.

Don’t think they haven’t tried to entice me to expand my appreciation of food.  “Want to try Thai?” I’ve had several ask me innocently. Then I have to tell them how I almost drowned once in a Thai restaurant.  I was sipping a bland looking soup when I bit into what appeared to be a small green bean floating in the middle.  At that very moment, water began gushing from my eyes and nose as I began desperately gasping for air. My host looked surprised. Then he patiently explained that I’d bitten into a very hot pepper, thus the waterworks. You see, even what appears to be familiar fare can be tricky.

Anyway, I’ve been thinking about all the good things that have come out of these food gatherings with friends.  Nancy, who works with me, asked me to lunch about the time I was finishing The Seven Promises of Hope. During soup, she asked if I had a Discussion or Study Guide to go with the book. She was involved with a women’s group at her church and they were looking for books accompanied by guides. Thanks to Nancy’s inspired suggestion, I went out and wrote one.  It took me awhile but I learned a lot.

Then I met Eleanor at a professional speakers meeting. She was interested in hope and ended up asking me to lunch after she read a few of my books. Turned out she had an amazing story of hope herself. I was just finishing The Seven Promises of Hope Discussion and Study Guide when we met.  Eleanor asked if she could try it out before I published it. The day she asked to give it a trial run, I really needed some encouragement. The opening story and a quote from her, gleaned during follow up conversations, is the first thing you encounter in the book. Because she was willing to eat at Willies (I do love Mexican food) I was blessed with both a new friend and a glimpse into what mulling over hope in a deeper way could do for a heart.

Once a week for over a year Debbie has been coming to my house after an often grueling day at work and praying with me. She comes from a long line of real prayer warriors, the most recent being her mama, who has prayed for all of us for as long as I can remember.  I’m sure that explains a lot of why I’m still around to write this blog.  Before Debbie and I pray, we eat. Usually it’s some form of chicken salad from the local drive through. While we have prayed for everyone we can think of, we have also prayed for these messages of hope to reach others. The strength and encouragement I have gotten from our time together can’t be measured.

Jean, a partner at a former job, and I have shared more lunches than I can count. While eating, she often regales me with stories of all the exotic restaurants she has visited during her travels. They sound nice but I keep ordering the same old, same old. During those lunches we have talked about our dreams—building beautiful French gardens, helping others, sharing hope. Recently she asked me to come to her cousin’s small church in Virginia and share some hope stories there. Eating with friends can lead to all kinds of wonderful things.

Now it is April, that time of year when things come back to life; things that were planted long ago and things that have just been planted. Each of my friends has planted something in my life—something more than just food. Each has given me hope when I needed it. As spring blossoms, take time to plant some hope in the heart of a friend.

You see, hope nourishes the heart like lunch does the body.  And it’s always better when it is shared with a friend.

April is the month of renewal.  Share your stories of hope and renewal with us at www.YourHopeGrows.com