Can I Tell You a Story?

Can I tell you a story? It's a story about how my life has been transformed over the last year by two incredible women.

It starts with an amazing homeschooling mama of four from Alabama. With an awesome accent, a great laugh and tons of fantastic quotes ranging from "If God wanted me to fly He would've given me wings!" to more everyday quotes that automatically put a smile on our faces like, "You guys!" Brandi is an inspiring, encouraging and hilarious woman who makes me smile and laugh on a daily basis.

She hangs out in the Alabama heat, tending her garden, does an amazing job of homeschooling her four adorable youngsters, and chases around some super cute puppies. She cooks and cleans and takes care of her family while somehow still finding time to create amazing Christian, inspirational fiction at her old fashioned scroll top desk. I have no idea how she does it all. But those are just a few of the reasons that she's so amazing.

Then there's the brave Eastern Washington girl who ended up transplanted in Colorado. With a coat of armor of snark and sarcasm, a super fast wit and one of the best senses of humor I've ever had the pleasure to encounter she also has one of the deepest hearts I've ever found. Coffee is the lifeblood that flows through her veins and she makes sure she keep us educated on all the adventure movies and superheros that are out there. This amazing lady could easily take on the world and she's proved it again and again in the last year that I've had the pleasure of knowing her.

Instead of taking on the whole world she just tackles her corner of it by juggling homeschooling, teaching, taking care of her family and coming up with fantastic stories that twist and turn and climb and dive in ways you'd never expect. She keeps Brandi and I laughing, makes us cry with her sweet encouragement and cheers us on through the hard times.

And then there's me. The Oregon girl who forgets her words, laughs so hard I can't breathe and is so incredibly grateful that God orchestrated events to bring these two amazing women into my life.

Friendship is a blessing. An incredible blessing. Ecclesiastes 4:12 says "Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."

When you find those friends, the ones who make you laugh, make you cry, encourage you, cheer you on and support you no matter what is going on in your life, hold on to them. If God brings people into your life who will pray you though a cross-country move in just a few weeks, friends who will make you laugh when you're ready to cry because you're renovating a house and roadblocks keep coming up, don't let go. Those people who will make you laugh so hard on a train ride that the other passengers look at you like your crazy, who will send you encouraging messages and tons of prayers because they know your terrified of an upcoming interview, the ones that you can share some of your deepest fears and the stories held most closely to your heart with, hang on to those people. They will light up your life in ways you never imagined.

Last April God took three women from different parts of the country and put them together in a unexpected ways. He did it because He knew that they needed each other, even though we didn't realize it at the time. We thought that we were joining a writing group a mutual friend of ours had set up so we could encourage each other, teach each other and help each other grow in our writing. And we have, all of that has happened but so much more has happened too.

So let me tell you a story- God can take people from anywhere and put them together to become friends. He doesn't do anything without a purpose and His purpose with friendship is to bring blessings to our lives. Blessing of laughter, encouragement, prayer and love. That's what friendship is. So when you find those friendships, hang on. Even in a year they can change your life.

So here's to two of my wonderful friends. I can't wait to see what times of laughter, excitement, adventure and of course, stories, the next year brings.