A Friend Loves At All Times- Proverbs 17:17

These are the girls. The girls I have known most of my life. The girls who love me unconditionally as I do them. They challenge me constantly and love deeply at the same time. Our kids play together. They are like family to me. The 2 on the left are sisters. They really are. Not by blood, but I can not imagine being closer.

On the far Right there is Lara. She’s had that sweet baby now, her 3rd. A girl after 3 boys. She is an AMAZING photographer. Her and her husband live in a character FULL 100 year old re-done house. They are the best photographers in the region (they took those family pictures of us last yera). They started a ministry called Thirst. They entrepeneured software called Action Runner, for photographers. But that those facts aren’t even the most amazing things about her. She has DEEP character. She loves Jesus. She can always make us smile. She is consistant and steadfast. She has a deep understanding of God’s Word. She is a rock in this stormy world.

Next from the left we have Anne Marie (who reads here!- Hi Anne). Anne is full of surprises. She is the girl that seemed to turn into a designer over night when know one was looking. She never cared much for shopping and clothing like we all did, yet she has this incredible eye for aesthetics. She is deep and spiritual and always wanting God’s beset for her life. She married the guy she dated since 8th grade and they are still madly in love. I can’t even tell you how many times she laughed so hard when we were all out that she peed her pants. All growing up. She has such a huge heart for people. When someone hurts, she hurts. She is such a true true woman of God.

Then there is me.

Then Brynne, aka supermodel. Though she would be the last to say that. Brynne is so capeable even when she doesn’ know it. She is the type of girl that sees a dog on the side of the road with it’s owner and will drive all around town in the middle of the night with the strangers to find a dog hospital that is open, and then drive the girl home, and keep checking up on them. She feels passionately. She pours her life into her children. She is a girl with deep convictions and really finds herself upset when people don’t feel the same way. But not out of anger or bitterness… but because she cares so deeply. She is so much fun and probably the most athletic girl I’m friends with. I have amazing memories of kickboxing with her every tuesday and thursday in college. The girl is ripped!

Then Alicia. I could fill pages. What part do I tell? When I go through my old storage trunks as I did recently, I find note after note from middle school on from her. All of them are telling me she loves me. All of them are giving me verses from the Bible to encourage me. All of them are telling me she is praying for me. It seems she was always there in the hard times. She always cared and always had words to help pull me through. She was never and is never short on reminding me that we are not with out hope. Her life is a living example of the miricles God can work. She sees me, the real me, the raw me, at all times. There are no facades in front of her, not even the involuntary ones. No walls. Even with her 3 children she would drop anything to help anyone of us. She is also the best deorater I have ever known. She makes martha stewart look like a rookie. She could have invented Shabby Chic for all I know. She “has it” and always had. She got straight A’s with out trying, can sing her heart out, and was homecoming queen, yet never acted like it. She also married her middle school boyfriend.

Then Jordan on the far right left. Also a sister. Also one that knows me inside out. Her and leesh are Jonathan and David type friendships. Jordan and her family took me in at some of my lowest moments. They gave me a place to stay. They loved on me and treated me as their own. Even into giving me the same HS graduation present as Jordan! Jordan is amazing at everything she does. Again, another friend that doesn’t quite realize just how special they are. We can laugh till our bellies hurt and weep till our tear ducts are dry. We pray together, we believe in each other. I’m so thankful she only lives a mile away. We went away to our first year of college together. She was the “hottest girl on campus” that was also shy. I was one of them most outgoing girls on campus, that also forgot to go to class. We made a great team. She helped me get it together and stop being such a flake, and I helped her make friends. We are going away to see friends together this weekend. With her it is always a great time.

God has been good to me.

There have been friendships that meant the world to me that i have lost for one reason or another. There have been relationships I have had to give up because no matter how much I love the person, they have turned out to be toxic to me.

I could focus on those lost loves and all the pain that came and still comes from them. Or I could focus on these girls and the few others God has given me that bless my life continually. I hope I continue to choose the latter. I am blessed. Thank you girls (even if you don’t get this blogging thing And thank you Jesus.