Sometimes we just need to give thanks for the people in our lives, for those who have been around for years and stuck by us in the good times and bad, you did the same for them. True friendship, the deep friendship that changes as the two of you change is a lasting one. My high school years weren't the best (whose are?), but I truly struggled in the friend-department, the people I considered my friends were not true friends, the person who I could have been the closest to I pushed away because of petty differences. I was entirely tunnel-visioned on what I needed as a friend, and not what my friends needed from me. But in college, like for most people, friendship became a choice rather than a demand. Instead of being trapped with the same people, you could truly choose your friends wisely. Which is what led me to the friendships I have today.
I mentioned on Saturday that I was having difficulties within the law school to find a lot of people who I felt connected to, who understood and respected me, but honestly, I'm not too terribly worried about it after some reflection, because for the first time, I live in the same city as two out of my three closest friends (besides Josh of course!). And these ladies I would do anything for, and have taught me so much about life and friendship.
My "sister", Cearrah taught me early on the friendship does not requires constant communication or an identical set of values, although similar is nice. We met freshman year and grew together, the Cearrah I met five years ago is not the Cearrah today, and I love her for it. As I emboldened her, she evened me out. A dangerously introverted pair, who can sit on the couch and do nothing with great pleasure. Cearrah was the first friend who understood the introversion that I was learning about, and without her, I would not have survived freshman year.
Myka, my bestie, we grew up ten minutes apart from one another, dated the same boy in high school, and somehow did not meet until college and even then, did not become close until sophomore year, when I was single actively seeking applications for second female best friend. She is so driven and focused, and those two qualities made me feel better about my own drive and focus. We held an internship together, planned one and now two weddings together, and have held each other up when things seemed impossibly big.
My wifey, my sweet Sharon who is my camp friend from many years gone by. As reform directors who finished each other's sentences after the first day to now, finally living in the same city- only ten minutes from one another too! Sharon saw me through so many dark spots, and she was such a light to me, her faith is the most beautiful thing about her, although she's not too hard on the eyes either. Sharon inspired me to live my faith more fully and deeply, she encouraged me to go for the camp director's position, and has given me her faith and support more times than I count.
You're probably rolling your eyes by now at this post, "we get it, you have good friends..." but wait there's a message here. All three of these women respect me for me, they cheer me on, and love me even when I don't. Surrounding yourself with people you admire and want to be like is a real thing- those three helped shape me in more ways than I even know. They are all blessings, and I wouldn't want to confront this world without them. Sisterhood is a very real relationship, and a necessary one to survive the burdens of life. Consider Ruth and Naomi, and how Ruth committed to her when she needed her, and how Naomi loved and protected Ruth because of this. There sisterhood and faith is what blessed them and allowed them to survive despite everything they were confronted with. Build yourself a community of sisterhood, to help support you in your faith and in your trials. There is more to friendship than hanging out, there is a real reason humanity is not meant to be solitary at all times.
So here is my challenge for all of you, make a list of your sisters, your best friends, your wifeys, and tell them thank you. And after that read the book of Ruth (it's short, don't worry), and consider what you can take away from this in regards to love, friendships, and commitments to those friendships. Those wonderful women were put in your life for a reason, what is it? What can you learn from them?
Tota tua,
LeAnn
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While providing a reference for someone last evening, I was overcome by the interviewer's very casual conversation about God. Sure, he knew that I ran a church camp, making me fair game for any kind of religious conversation, but his faith and testimony to it was as tangible as seeing him leading worship in a church-setting. This man was evangelizing in a way I wish I could, so naturally that it was just part of our conversations about his potential employee, our camps, and how he is a full-time camp director (jealous!!).
