Forever Friends

We met 20 years ago. I had just turned 22 and moved to LA by myself to start a graduate program at Fuller Seminary. It is a WILD understatement to say this small-town girl had no idea what she had gotten herself into.

I moved into an apartment on campus with two perfect strangers. We slid notes under the doors of the other women on our floor, inviting them over for ice cream. That was the unexpected beginning of the most authentic friendships I've ever had.

Over spoonfuls of ice cream, we committed to building an intentional community. And we did. We gathered to worship and pray every other week, no matter how hectic our schedules got. We had class together, ate meals together, laughed and cried together, and left no nook or cranny of life unseen by one another. Culture, backgrounds, preferences... we couldn't have been more different. It's still true today. And we're still friends.

When they heard I was coming to America, they asked if they could visit with incredible sensitivity to our family's circumstances. I was honest about my lack of availability and low capacity. So they quietly planned a trip, leaving 9 kids and 3 husband behind to fly, rent a car, and book a hotel out in the middle of nowhere to be close IN CASE we could be together.

There could never be enough hours with them, but the ones we had together were so special. Wyatt instantly professed his love to Helen. He managed to lure both Amanda and Jamie into his room to play. They gave Benjamin his first taste of In-N-Out Burger. They prayed over me as we wrapped up our short, sacred time together. I didn't even have words to pray back over them, but their friendship was like a healing balm over me.

Seasons of life are more than just seasons. They shape us if we let them. I'm so so thankful for these extraordinary friendships.