My heart is pretty mushy right now.
And if I’ve learned anything in the past two years from Jesus and my friends (and one friend in particular- the one looking gorgeous in the telephone booth, and no, we weren’t in England) …I’ve learned that it’s okay to have an emotional soul.
Forewarning, I’m going to go on a love-rant.
If you don’t know my friend Cori, you should.
Cori and I met when I was 11 years old. Our parents introduced us after a church service at IHOP in Kansas City and she had just come back from fetching her shoes because she had been dancing with Jesus at the front. We both thought the other was at least 3 years older than we actually were. And that continues today… me being awed by her intimacy with Jesus, as well as her maturity.
You all need those friends that will just love on you unconditionally. Cori is just one of those people in general. She continues to pursue me even though we have been in a “long-distance relationship” on and off for as long as we’ve known each other. Now, more than ever. You know what? She sends me letters and texts me and Skypes me and PRAYS for me. We all need friends that will do that last one especially. GAH I LOVE HER SO MUCH! We talk about Jesus and His devotion for us and we talk about our future husbands as well as superhero movies (Captain America!!) and Jane Austen movies (Mr. Darcy!). And then we just talk about the little things in life. Good times. She’s a beauty, in heart and soul and mind.
Yet what continues to amaze me is how she goes deeper into devotion to God– like I would think wow, she is so deep– then SPLASH! DIVE! Woah she’s gone deeper. I love that about her.
For those of you girls who are yearning for a friend like Cori (I mean, who wouldn’t?!), I want to let you in on something, and I’m sure she would agree. A friendship isn’t a friendship without Jesus. She is not the one who fulfills me. The satisfaction we do receive is because we are both pursuing Jesus first. The selfishness, the bickering, the gossiping, oh it vanishes (thought we’re not wholly perfect!!) because Christ has set us free. Girls (and guys too!), when you bring HIM into your friendships– oh how He cares about our hearts!– there will be joy. Nowhere else.
In saying that, we go through seasons in life where we don’t have our normal friends around us. That’s when I have to open up, be mushy and emotional, and love afresh. In those hard and precious times, Jesus is my one constant friend. And you know what? He far outshines the rest. And I’m so glad Cori thinks so, too.
Photographer credit: our lovely Savannah Lee
Aww so sweet Kayla! She really is amazing (and not just because she is my little sister)! 🙂