best friends

Ten years ago when I moved to Edmond, I started going to the BCM on campus.  I met a lot of people there and had a ton of fun.  A friend and I would always make up random nicknames for people and never called anyone by their ACTUAL name.  A couple of years into college, we met a girl (I'm using the term MET loosely- observed from a distance and never spoke to would probably be a more accurate term) who we named "Robin's friend."  All I knew about her was that she was Robin's friend (obviously) and that a few years later she was dating our friend Chris Howell.  I didn't DISLIKE her, but I wasn't really looking to be her friend either.

Four years later, we both ended up teaching 8th grade girls at (shocker) Henderson Hills.  We ended up talking a lot every Sunday and actually kind of, sort of becoming friends.  I knew Chris from my BCM days and so we were actually kind of friends.  We all got engaged and married at the same time.

At the end of that summer of weddings, she called me up and invited me to come to a newly married group she and Chris had started attending.  We went and really enjoyed the people and leaders.  One couple in particular seemed "appealing" to us to seek out.

Here is where I will let you all in on a little secret: I'm actually quite shy when it comes to meeting people.  I have a HUGE fear of rejection and I also seem to assume that everyone hates me until I get to know them.  Talking up a person I don't really know is probably in my list of top 10 fears!  So what happens next in the story is a little shocking actually!

One night (probably a month or so after the idea had entered my head, I had to work up the courage to actually DO IT) after FLOCK, I walked up to the girl and just blurted out "So, we all work kind of close together.  I think we should do lunch sometime."  She almost jumped up and down and said "YESSSSSS!"  I think that maybe she was as hungry for a friend as I was!

What started as one lunch turned into lunch once a week.  Those lunches turned into fun nights hanging out together and we would cook dinner every Sunday night after church together.  Over probably three short months, the three of us became SO close.

Five years later- enter my very best friends- my kindred spirits, the sisters of my heart: Jamie and Natalie.

The three of us have walked through some of our lives darkest moments together.  We've shown up on each others porches, crying our eyes out.  We've confessed our hurts, fears, sins to each other.  We've rejoiced over babies being born.  We've cried over things that have hurt deeply.  We've driven hours just to be together when we needed each other.  We've spent many nights in each others houses, studying the Word and just being together.

 

Have you ever had a friend that just "got it" with you?  The three of us just clicked and I couldn't have asked for more from a friend.  These girls have taught me the meaning of unconditional love and TRUE friendship.  When I read "a friend loves at ALL times", I think of these two girls.  I know that we will be the best of friends no matter where life takes us.

Love you girls!