Homies

Friendships. If you know me at all, you know that being a good friend is something I strongly value. I have been and will be navigating friendships for the rest of my life. Being a good friend looks different in different seasons and for each friend. At the start of the race, I was walking through what it looked like to love my people at home knowing the limited amount of communication I would have. When I was in Costa Rica, living in the middle of nowhere with no service, the Lord showed me that the most loving thing I can do for someone is pray for them. As this has been a sweet and rich lesson to walk through, the Lord has also been showing me even more of what it looks like to be a good friend, not just to the people back home, but the many people I have had the joy of meeting this year. 

I was sitting at a coffee shop with a girl on my team the other day and we were talking about friendship. What does it look like to keep in touch with people while staying present, how do you know if a friendship is seasonal, etc. This left me with a sweet reminder of what I believe to be true about friendships. 

Honestly, as cliche as it may sound, it comes down to what does it mean to actively love the person who is sitting across from you. A question that I will most likely forever be navigating, but has helped ground me often this year is: “What does it look like to trust God with people, and people with God?” What has been huge for me as I am living a year of constant change is shifting the lens in which I view people. Choosing to love people the way Jesus modeled, even if I may never cross paths with them again. Choosing to remember that the Lord can use every interaction and every friendship we have on this earth to show us more of him, to teach us, to grow & stretch us. 

A friend who comes to mind, is a girl named Lixis. Lixis lives in Comayagua, Honduras, is seventeen and is full of SPUNK. She walks in freedom, authenticity and knows how to make anyone around her feel comfortable. Lixis lived and worked on the mountain with me and the rest of my squad. Lixis and I were able to discuss Bible verses, teach each other dance moves & practice our and Spanish and English with one another. I saw Jesus in her by the way she found joy in everything she was doing and was bold in her interactions with people. Although Lixis and I most likely will not be in each other spaces again, she was a good friend and made an impact on me. 

Although, something that I realized at the end of my seven weeks on the mountain, is that I honestly did not make much of an effort to get to know Lixis until the last couple of weeks of being there. After reflecting on why this was, I realized that I just simply overlooked the opportunity of fully embracing the people the Lord had put in front of me during a season. As I have had the chance to travel, visit new places and meet hundreds of people all over- I realize there are so many interactions I have with people on a daily basis, that if I’m not careful, I can easily overlook. 

A huge blessing of this year, has not only been the people I have met all around the world, but also the people I get to do life with everyday. A fun, yet wild at times, component of the race is the community we are surrounded with. Through all of this, the Lord has also so kindly reminded me of what a JOY it is to be able to develop sweet & deep friendships.

He has reminded me the power of asking questions, seeking to understand, finding joy in the small moments and that when are willing to say YES in our relationships and friendships—good things come!! 

Jesus, thank you for the sweet gift of creating us all so uniquely. For making us relational and for modeling so perfectly what it looks like to be a good friend. Thank you Lord that when we feel at a loss for words or actions, that you fill in the gaps. Thank you Lord for constantly reminded me that when I fall short, you are there.