Friendship with a courageous woman

I have so loved so many wonderful friends... and yet this is one of only a few pages i have ever put together. It is somehow a difficult thing for me. I guess i really don't know how to speak to the special ways that each person has impacted me, or what i love most about them... probably because it is always changing.

So today i begin... i have decided to place this page of my friendship with Jennifer into an album of Journeying Together. I think i might do some sort of connection with the strong characteristic I find in them.... but we'll see... it is still in the making... and could be altered at any given moment.

I have included the journalling for you to read because it is precious to me, and is the reason I made this page. I wish you could know my sweet and courageous friend Jennifer.

Journalling as follows:

April 18, 2008

My Jennifer. I adore you. And I know you love me right back.

In my life I have had many wonderful friends. The gift I have in your friendship is Inspiration and Graciousness. Although you are gracious in the way you deal with the circumstances in life, you have a spunk and fire in you that is courageous and fierce. You will not be bowled over or strong-armed by circumstances. You will approach these issues and others with conviction and confidence in what you know is right and true.

I love your silly moments with me, and your gentle heart, and I SO desire to grow in my graciousness in difficult times that I have chosen to watch your life as a model of that gift. No pressure!!!

Jennifer your beautiful to me… so it is not a surprise that you have not changed in your beauty through all that has come with this Leukemia. Your hair may be gone, but it will grow back! You may now be weak, but you will grow strong again!

I love that your so at ease with the really important things of life remaining at the top of your life list. This experience has not only brought you perspective in that way, but also helped everyone else reconsider the priorities for the lives we are living. You have inspired us to live our lives on purpose and to give it our all... so we can be who we are made to be.

I see Jesus radiating from you. He is your source, and although the ground feels shaky… it’s not. He is your rock. Our rock. I love that you know that. That this stretch of the journey is not about you finding Him, but about you trusting and resting in the One you know so well; that your eyes are fixed and your heart is set that in Him. In Him you will be restored and that by being confident of this, you have testified and witnessed to the goodness we know of God. I am so blessed by your strength and your vulnerability in this journey.

You truly are inspiring and are teaching all of us with your life. I can’t wait until this is over and you are home snuggling Noah and Curtis. I can’t wait to hang out again like we used to, to share in the joys and struggles that we stand together in. I love to laugh with you and share in the real heart stuff of girlfriends. But I am learning and growing in my walk, because of your witness and faith in Christ… our hope of glory..

I look forward to a lifetime of friendship with you my friend.

“Faith is being sure of what is unseen…”