No matter how nice a Roman prison might be, Paul is likely chained to a guard 24/7, awaiting trial on charges that could lead to execution. Yet he remains full of joy as he remembers that God has knit him together with the Philippian Christians in a shared mission. The Greek word for partnership is koinonia. You might hear at church, "Come fellowship with us in the lobby." The lobby might be filled with handshakes and laughter, but it isn't strong enough for joy. Paul risked his life to share the gospel with his friends. They sent Epaphroditus to care for him in jail, and he nearly died on the journey. Their relationships are bound together by prayer and shared sacrifice for Jesus. At the end of a summer missions trip to Tajikistan, our team sat on cushions in a meeting room in Dushanbe. We'd lived in Tajik homes, cooked meals together, told them about Jesus, and read our Bibles with some of them. People were crying as we prepared to say goodbye. In one month of working together for the gospel, our friendships became closer than with people I'd known for decades. Raising money to spend a summer in the sweltering heat of Dushanbe taught me that Christian friendships don't grow from sitting in the same room, but sharing together in God's mission. Paul's friendships are also stronger than the camaraderie of a winning sports team. His joy is rooted in the recognition that God brought them together. So whether Paul is freed or executed, he trusts that God will complete his good work in his friends, and then, they will be united forever. When God is the glue, nothing can tear us apart. What God starts, God finishes—and we get to be part of it, together.