The Importance of Friendship

Something that has always taken up a large part of our prayer time at home has been asking God to provide good friends for our family. Growing up as a homeschooler, my mom always wanted to make sure that my sister and I were social with other kids our age so we attended a homeschool co-op. This is a place that provides additional academics and activities for kids who are homeschooled. Things like science classes, creative writing and gym were offered while parents spent time together learning from books and speakers.  
         I am so thankful for my parents choosing to have Grace and I be a part of this, but I could not be more thankful for the fact that my parents prayed for Grace and I to have good friends as we got older as well as when we were young.
     The other day my two best friends and I decided to have a photo shoot. I have to admit, at first I did not want to go. I thought that it would be hours of taking pictures and that I would just want to go home. Instead, I am so happy that I went! I hope to have some of these pictures of the three of us at the slideshow at my wedding someday and to always look back on these photos and laugh and say, "Hey remember when we made Catie lie down in the middle of the road?" (It was a bridge that we were taking pictures where cars weren't allowed to drive and my other best friend Elise, who is very photogenic, thought it would be a good angle and slightly humourous to have Catie lie down at that angle, it turned out to be a great picture).
     I am so thankful for these girls who I have known since my freshman year in high school. I would often wonder as a little kid, "Will I ever find the right friends who are like me and love me for who I am?" I did. I have laughed with these girls until my stomach hurts as we play Murder by a bonfire, cried with them when I need prayer and can always call them in the middle of the night if I am just up late and need someone to talk to. They have drawn me so close to my Savior and over this next year of my life as we all go our seperate ways I will miss them so, so much. However, this is a new season. This is a new time for all three of us to grow to our full potential as young women. I know for a fact that I will see them again. Even though my parents have had to sign off an agreement that they would let YWAM bury me in India if I died on outreach, I know even that I will see these girls in heaven. What a gift, what a pleasure to know, love, laugh, cry and spend time with them.
     I hope you, reader enjoy these photos that we took together and know that the only reason why I could have grown so close with these friends was because all three of us were close with our Savior. We know Him, love Him, sometimes are mad at Him, but always cling to Him for true hope and redemption. Elise and Catie, thanks for the fun I can't wait to take more pictures when we are all three reunited again:)