When I was in high school, I was a part of this amazing non-profit organization called Young Life.
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| Christmas in July! |
If you do not know what Young Life is, I highly recommend you to look it up- it is a wonderful organization that introduces Jesus Christ to high schoolers in a non-forced way. We meet after school and a group of adult volunteers lead us in songs, dancing, crazy skits, games, and then a faith based message at the end. The "leaders" are Christians who want nothing more than to just pour the love of God into the lives of students and build relationships with kids that will last a lifetime. I have met so many friends and awesome people through Young Life (including my husband!!) and a love for Jesus that challenges me DAILY.
The summer going into my senior year I spent 2 amazing weeks at a Young Life camp called Woofleaf, up in northern California. I have never seen a more beautiful place and the best part was, it was pure freedom. We spent the days swimming, playing sports, hiking, crafting, team building, and hearing about the undying love that Christ has for us. It was perfect. We weren't allowed to have our cellphones and honestly, I don't think anyone cared one bit. Calling our parents was the last thing on our minds!
One of the girls in my cabin was a girl I recognized from the tennis team at our school. We didn't hang out much but I think we took a couple pictures together.
Starting out my senior year was when I decided I loved Young Life so much that I wanted others to love it too. My leader at the time challenged me to find a random girl and just pour into her. Hang out with her, listen to her, and just down right LOVE her no matter how hard it was and no matter how much we didn't have in common.
A girl on my cheer team was friends with the girl on the tennis team- Lindsey and I recognized her from the summer camp we had just gotten back from. I thought she was a bit neardy and I was surprised to hear that she was dating one of the popular football players. Nonetheless, something in me deicded that she would be my victim! God knows exactly what He's doing so when I walked into my anatomy class at the begining of the school year I wasn't surprised to see Lindsey sitting there. I figured this would be perfect to start a friendship with her but the problem was- we sat on opposite sides of the classroom. I sat next to a friend from my cheer team and long-story-short, we ended up talking too much that my teacher moved my seat and put me right next to Lindsey! Again, God knows what He's doing. One day in the middle of lecture, I wrote in my notebook "Do you wanna come over to my house tonight and bake cookies?" and then slid my notebook next to her. (Yes, I realize how creepy I was!) We had an awkward but successful night baking and I ended up inviting her out to eat and a movie and more and more hang outs. Eventually the awkward moments went away and we actually developed a real friendship. To this day we joke about how I "forced her" to be friends with me and we joke about how I was extremely creepy with how I first approached her but that's okay because now she has grown from being a random girl and now she is like my sister.
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| About 4 years later, I married that weird guy in the background. I had no idea he existed when this picture was taken. SO Crazy. |
Lindsey's sophomore year of college was when we decided it would be fun to have her move in with me and we shared my room and to this day she still lives there! I moved out, of course but she is still there with my parents with no intention of leaving anytime soon!
The other day, we were sitting on the couch thinking of all the things we have done together for the first time or have been there for the other ones first and all the other cool things we have done over the years. Here's what we came up with (in no particular order):
1. The summer of 2011 Lindsey came with me and my family on a vacation to Las Vegas and California. While there we both rode the roller coaster in Vegas for the first time together and then I got to swim in the ocean for the first time in La Jolla and Lindsey was with me.
2. I saw real snow for the first time at a Young Life winter camp and Lindsey got barefoot with me and we took a picture!
3. I don't remember the year, but I was with Lindsey when she tried Krispy Kreme for the first time!
4. Lindsey watched a baby being born for the first time when I was in Labor with Gracelyn!
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| Most people don't know that Lindsey actually shaved my legs for me when I got to the hospital so I "wouldn't be embarassed" Riiiiiiiight! Hahahahahaha. |
5. Our first all nighter was the night before going on our first road trip together to Sarah's wedding!
6. Our first time being buried in sand was the summer we went to California together!
7. I was there when Lindsey got baptized.
8. We both crowd surfed at the same time together at a Young Life event back in the day! We are sad we don't have a picture of this!
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| The night we crowd surfed at All Arizona Young Life! |
9. Lindsey's first Young Life camp was also the first time accepting Christ into her life and that was the summer we met!
10. Baby God Mama!
There are so many things I could say but those are just a few. I'm so blessed to have this girl in my life and now in my daughter's life. True friendship is an amazing gift and I am so grateful for ours.
Lindsey,
These last years, you've shared your thoughts with me, your laughs, tears, accomplishments and failures. You might not be able to see yourself the way I see you but if you could you would see an amazing young woman who is worth so much more than you could ever imagine. I have told you this before and I will tell you again-- I look up to you. Yes, you're younger than me but I respect you and cherish you for the person you are and I value your opinions so much- why do you think so I was so nervous to tell you I was pregnant?! I'm like the nerd who wants the popular girl to like her! That's how I feel about you even though I make fun of you all the time. I have loved knowing you. I have loved laughing with you about all the stupid things we laugh at. I have even loved crying tears of sadness and joy with you. I have loved hearing about your happiness and I have loved hugging you through your pain. There is not a day that goes by that I don't wonder what you're doing or when we can hang out next. I admire you in many ways but I especially admire your love for Jesus. It is a HARD relationship to have and maintain but I'm glad we can walk along side one another in Christ's love and grace. You're funny, adventurous, caring, and my sister (I think we have past that silly label of "best friend"). I love you and I am so glad I found you.
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