Accountability sisters
I have been blessed to have four very special women placed in my life that I know I can go to for anything at anytime. These ladies are more than friends, they are my sisters, my lifelines, my heart. God knew what he was doing when he placed each one in my life at the time He placed them.
The first, I met in the hallway at church in the summer between second and third grade. The first time I went over to her house after church one Sunday is one of my embarrassing moments, but definitely one of the most memorable. Her father is from Germany and when we sat down to dinner after church, he started praying, in German. I didn't hear the "Amen" and the conversation continued around the table in German. My head was still bowed, and her brother elbowed me and told me we were finished. I looked up and realized that they were passing the food around. Needless to say, that didn't deter me from continuing the friendship, just made me pay real close attention to the prayer time and listen for that Amen! This lady is someone that we have had many ups and downs (junior high is rough on a girl!) but is someone who would answer the phone at 2 in the morning if I needed to talk. She and her husband took vacation to drive my U-Haul from Ohio to North Carolina when I moved, stayed, and helped me move into my apartment. She would talk to me on the walkie talkies during the drive as she just knew when I was starting to weep. We stayed up all night crying and laughing over the pictures and memories of our childhood. After she and her husband went home, we would talk at least once a week. She would call just to check in to make sure that I was settling in my new life. She is one person that knows the good, bad, ugly parts of me and still loves me. I mentioned in an earlier post that when one of us is brought to mind, we have learned to stop and pray, then call. The connection I have with her is only attributed to our longevity as well as our mutual relationship with Christ. I don't know what I would do without her and her friendship.
The next I met shortly after I moved down here. She was in the singles group at church. She had just started dating this guy that was in the class that I was a part of. She is my younger sister who helped translate this new world that I had found myself in. She was my translator, educator, confidant, and friend when I didn't have many. She helped ease me into the southern life. Even to this day, she is someone that can translate something for me when a phrase is said that I have never heard of! But more importantly, she is someone who would fight for me, protect me, and keep me sane. She has a way of grounding me when situations rise up. She is that person that can redirect me when I am going off the deep end with a simple word of encouragement. I don't think I would have survived my first few years down here without her!
The third I saw a long time before I met her. She doesn't know this, but I was intimidated by her. She had such stage presence when she sang and has one of the most amazing voices I had heard in a long time. She would sing solos and I would be amazed at how she worshiped when she sang. Shortly after I joined choir, I was introduced to her. I remember being a little in awe of her as we were introduced. However, once I got to know her, there was no more awe, but lots of laughs. She makes me realize that life is precious and not worth getting into a tizzy about it. She makes me laugh, both at her and myself. She can bring me out of a funk and redirect me. She brings the normalcy of life and makes it fun. She makes the ordinary extraordinary. She has slowly broken the shell around me and showed me that it is ok to laugh at life! I don't know if I would be as open to new experiences if it wasn't for her!
The last, but certainly not least, I met when she and her husband moved to North Carolina from Florida. We became closer after she cast me in our Christmas drama. I can't even begin to imagine why she cast me, but I know it wasn't easy directing me. She pushed me so far out of my safe zone, that I couldn't even see the line after the program was over. She showed me what I was capable of and at the same time encouraged me to be even better. Those four months were some of the hardest emotionally that I have been through. I lived, breathed, and thought about that character for the majority of the time that I was awake. I was constantly rehearsing taking each point that she made and trying to make it even better. She still encourages me to step beyond the safe zone. I don't know if I would be as adventurous as I am without her.
Each of these women have had a part of my story. They have expanded my horizons in ways in which they will never know. I have laughed with them, cried with them, prayed with them, and lived life with them. They are there when I need them, all just a phone call away. When I am struggling, they each pull me out. They are my prayer warriors, my confidants, my hearts. I love each and everyone of them and am blessed to call them friend. But more than friend, my sisters.
The first, I met in the hallway at church in the summer between second and third grade. The first time I went over to her house after church one Sunday is one of my embarrassing moments, but definitely one of the most memorable. Her father is from Germany and when we sat down to dinner after church, he started praying, in German. I didn't hear the "Amen" and the conversation continued around the table in German. My head was still bowed, and her brother elbowed me and told me we were finished. I looked up and realized that they were passing the food around. Needless to say, that didn't deter me from continuing the friendship, just made me pay real close attention to the prayer time and listen for that Amen! This lady is someone that we have had many ups and downs (junior high is rough on a girl!) but is someone who would answer the phone at 2 in the morning if I needed to talk. She and her husband took vacation to drive my U-Haul from Ohio to North Carolina when I moved, stayed, and helped me move into my apartment. She would talk to me on the walkie talkies during the drive as she just knew when I was starting to weep. We stayed up all night crying and laughing over the pictures and memories of our childhood. After she and her husband went home, we would talk at least once a week. She would call just to check in to make sure that I was settling in my new life. She is one person that knows the good, bad, ugly parts of me and still loves me. I mentioned in an earlier post that when one of us is brought to mind, we have learned to stop and pray, then call. The connection I have with her is only attributed to our longevity as well as our mutual relationship with Christ. I don't know what I would do without her and her friendship.
The next I met shortly after I moved down here. She was in the singles group at church. She had just started dating this guy that was in the class that I was a part of. She is my younger sister who helped translate this new world that I had found myself in. She was my translator, educator, confidant, and friend when I didn't have many. She helped ease me into the southern life. Even to this day, she is someone that can translate something for me when a phrase is said that I have never heard of! But more importantly, she is someone who would fight for me, protect me, and keep me sane. She has a way of grounding me when situations rise up. She is that person that can redirect me when I am going off the deep end with a simple word of encouragement. I don't think I would have survived my first few years down here without her!
The third I saw a long time before I met her. She doesn't know this, but I was intimidated by her. She had such stage presence when she sang and has one of the most amazing voices I had heard in a long time. She would sing solos and I would be amazed at how she worshiped when she sang. Shortly after I joined choir, I was introduced to her. I remember being a little in awe of her as we were introduced. However, once I got to know her, there was no more awe, but lots of laughs. She makes me realize that life is precious and not worth getting into a tizzy about it. She makes me laugh, both at her and myself. She can bring me out of a funk and redirect me. She brings the normalcy of life and makes it fun. She makes the ordinary extraordinary. She has slowly broken the shell around me and showed me that it is ok to laugh at life! I don't know if I would be as open to new experiences if it wasn't for her!
The last, but certainly not least, I met when she and her husband moved to North Carolina from Florida. We became closer after she cast me in our Christmas drama. I can't even begin to imagine why she cast me, but I know it wasn't easy directing me. She pushed me so far out of my safe zone, that I couldn't even see the line after the program was over. She showed me what I was capable of and at the same time encouraged me to be even better. Those four months were some of the hardest emotionally that I have been through. I lived, breathed, and thought about that character for the majority of the time that I was awake. I was constantly rehearsing taking each point that she made and trying to make it even better. She still encourages me to step beyond the safe zone. I don't know if I would be as adventurous as I am without her.
Each of these women have had a part of my story. They have expanded my horizons in ways in which they will never know. I have laughed with them, cried with them, prayed with them, and lived life with them. They are there when I need them, all just a phone call away. When I am struggling, they each pull me out. They are my prayer warriors, my confidants, my hearts. I love each and everyone of them and am blessed to call them friend. But more than friend, my sisters.
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