Friendships....

Throughout my 25 years of life, the Lord has afforded me many blessings that I have felt are extravagant, beautiful gifts of His favor and grace. Anyone who knows me well knows that I am a very relational person. I thrive off of the relationships in my life. Now, let me just say, by this I mean that I am sharpened, shaped, guided, mentored, and grown into the image of Christ and His character by the gifts of these relationships. I have been so blessed to have the gift of longevity in many of my friendships. I have found that these frienships are the richest-the ones that have been worn by time, distance, and connection. I love the familiarity of a well-worn, close-knit friendship. I feel as though my soul is at home with the people who have earned my relationship. I love having to take the time to really get to know my friends. I love knowing what makes them tick, really knowing the depth of their relationships with God, praying with them, encouraging them, getting to know their families, and having the honor of being in their homes. There is no greater blessing than a friend who truly knows me and continually points me to Jesus. I also feel so blessed to know that I am going to spend eternity with my friends worshipping before the living God.

If you have been reading my writing for long, you know that I am an intercessor. Prayer is one of my deepest passions and joys in this earthly life. I feel that I am fueled with the most purpose from the hand of God when I am in the midst of the power of prayer. The power that resides in bowing my heart soul, mind, strength, and character before an all-knowing, holy God absolutely leaves me astounded and utterly amazed. I feel most at home when I am bowed before Jesus. I say all of this to say, that one of the most precious honors I have found is when the Lord gives me the sacred opportunity to pray over and to physically lay my hands on the precious life of one of my friends. There is no more cherished thing that I have ever been a part of then to see the power of prayer at work in the lives of my friends. The number of truly treasured friendships that I have the blesssing of considering close take one hand plus two additonal fingers :) The Lord truly has just been right in the midst of these friendships, leading them and drawing them to Himself. I am abundantly blessed. The Lord has been exceedingly good to me.

Thank you for giving me such life-giving, sacred, soul-sastaining, and Christ-honoring friendships that I will have for a lifetime to draw strength and power from, Father. I have been drawn further into Who you are as a result of the overflow of the lives of these precious relationships. Thank you for the honor of truly knowing them and seeing You reflected in their ambitions, dreams, their life's work, and the sacrifices of their hearts. You deserve all the honor for the rare gift of such rich, treasured relationships. Again, I say thank you!