A girl I once knew came to the farm this week.
Her and I used to sit for hours at a little coffee shop by the beach.
Back then, she was in junior high and I was newly married and we just might have been the most unlikely of pairs. She's the fun and adventurous one and I'm the quieter type.
She's spunky and silly and not afraid to say anything.
Back then she brought me out of my shell.
Back then I often felt inadequate when we would get together... I was woman who often fumbled over my words, a woman who had no idea how to pour into such a life-filled little girl.
And now she's a woman and a dear friend and this week on the farm we hung out on the front porch for hours and drank peach tea and she asked me about my journey with my man over the past 14 years and there wasn't a moment that my heart didn't sing.
You see, I don't always just sit and think about my marriage. I don't always share all that the Lord has walked my Joey and I through. But when someone has the kindness to ask, then I find the courage to tell it all. And as I talked out loud, I was reminded of God's tremendous grace over two young kids who wandered so naively into a life of learning to love.
You can do anything with Christ by your side.
You can learn to let down your guard, and find intimacy beyond anything this cheap world has to offer. You can endure the sting and find joy on the other side. You can build a life with an imperfect, yet humble man. You can be beautiful in the ugly and bare children, bare treasures, more amazing than anything. You can raise them together and learn how to lay down your life yet again.
You can laugh, and you can endure, and you can find safety in the moments where words are few.
I sat with this girl, now woman, and there was no longer feelings of inadequacy, only privilege and joy.
In friendship, really all we can do is share His Word and share our lives. We can't fix things or have all the answers. We can't make choices for others, but we can listen and in humility speak life and truth. We can trust that the Lord can and will do in us all that He says He will.
Today The Cowboy and I are off to a wedding... the first wedding that my man has ever had the privilege of officiating. Weddings, marriage, it's all a journey you have to leave comfort for courage to embark on. And even in the stinging seasons, it's worth all the bravery you can muster up...
Cuz when you find the courage to lay down your life, man, that's when life truly gets good.
Sweet Kalli girl, thanks for coming to the farm.
Thanks for sharing your life.
Thanks for helping me to be brave enough to share mine.
