A family friend of mine went to the primary school that was on the same property as my high school. For the sake of convenience and safety, she was asked to travel with me in the afternoons. This plan worked out well and her family had the assurance that she would get to the bus stop safely since she was traveling with me.

One afternoon, she was nowhere to be found. I searched and searched but couldn’t find her. She wasn’t in my schoolyard, she wasn’t at the bus stop, and I started to worry. I wondered if she was safe. I questioned whether something happened to her. I thought about her being lost. All sorts of thoughts went through my mind.

The great thing about this story is that she was not hurt in any way. While I was worrying about her, she was safe at home.

As empowered Christian women, we have a responsibility to those we are traveling with. From time to time, our travel companions along the Christian pathway might go missing. When this happens we shouldn’t carry on as though everything is fine. Instead, we should be genuinely concerned about their well-being and we should inquire about where they are.

One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24 NIV)

In some instances, they may be doing well. In other cases they may be in desperate need of a helping hand, an encouraging word, and most of all our prayers.

Do you have Christian friends who took a detour? Is a travel companion of yours missing? Pray for them, reach out, and most importantly, show that you care.