Row15

We didn’t make a whole lot of sense. Usually when you witness a group of friends you find a likeness among them. For instance, the group might dress similarly and like the same music or books or movies, and the group will have similar hobbies or enjoy going to the same types of places. But not really with us. Not really at all. We were all so very different. And yet we did have a common thread. We all were young and trying to figure out how to live our lives as an offering to God. Something we all took very seriously. There isn’t a doubt in my mind that we were meant to be. God knew that we needed each other for a season and so it was, whether we made sense or not. 

Beth and I ventured into a new college ministry one Wednesday night back in the Fall of 2002. I am pretty sure that very first night at Breaking Bread someone invited us to be a part of a Discipleship group. {Jenny, was that you? Or Kate maybe?} Beth and I went to the first meeting and we were instantly hooked! We loved the people there. {Side note: We met this guy who walked us to our car. He kept talking about politics! We laughed and rolled our eyes. And now 9 years later Beth has had two babies with him. :) Funny how things turn out.}

If you flip through my journals from that time period in my life you will find all of their names in the pages. Each one of them taught me something about myself, about God, and/or about friendship. That group is very special to me. It was about 12 guys and gals altogether. There were some who trickled in and out, but there was a core group of us who really stuck it out together. We met together weekly in the home of a young couple who set out to mentor and disciple us. I am pretty sure we grew them as much as they helped in growing us. Every week we got together to pray, to read the Word,  to discuss, to dump out our emotional and mental and spiritual baggage, and to wade through the mess together. There were a lot of tears, a lot of laughs, and a lot of memories made. It was amazing while it lasted. As the group dispersed, it was clear that we all were headed in new directions and that our group, while it was meant to be, had served its purpose.  It was time for all of us to move on.  There was no big drama or misunderstanding…it was just time for it to end and so it did. But those friendships and lessons will live on in our own personal history books.

Last weekend the girls of the group had a reunion. At first all 6 of us were going to meet up, but Kate got a job in NY she couldn’t refuse and Abbie kept getting bumped from her flight until there were no more flights to get on! They were both missed tremendously! Beth and I drove to Georgia where we met up with Jenny and Shell drove in from Nashville and met up with us. The weekend was wonderful. All we did was sit in the hotel room, a Starbucks, Jenny’s house, or a restaurant, but it was perfect for catching up on the last 6 years. You can imagine we had a lot of talking to do! These girls were my biggest encouragers in the faith in that ever so formative year in my life. They spurred me on and loved me through quite a bit of junk. It was so awesome to feel like no time had passed. We just fell right back into place. We had new things to discuss and new challenges; we had husbands now and some kids, new jobs, and new cities. But we still wanted what we wanted back then…to live our lives for the Lord and to love others as He called us to. The weekend was like water for my soul. In all honesty, I have trouble finding the right words because these gals mean so much to me and they do so much for my heart. 

Jenny, your sensitivity to the Spirit and the way you communicate what He is teaching you is unique, a Jenny trademark that I admire and love so much about you! Shell, your unapologetic this-is-who-I-am attitude, overflowing joy, honesty, and desire to know and love the Lord is such an encouragement to me and what I love so much about you! Beth, your friendship to me, your honesty, encouragement, love, and willingness to hear me ramble and process through anything and everything while giving me godly council is what I love so much about you! I can’t wait for our next reunion! It will be much sooner than 6 years from now! I don’t know how on earth we survived so long without being together! ;) 

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. - Romans 15:13