Hi There!
Have you ever had one of those friends who’s there for you when you’re going through something really difficult, when you need a good laugh, or just someone to listen or encourage you when you’re low? I have a handful of those kinds of friends and I can’t imagine my life without them. Today, I want to give the floor to one of those friends, Morgan. I admire her for the effort she puts into and value she places on friendship. Knowing the encouragement she’s brought to me, I knew she’d do the same for you. So without further ado, here’s Morgan!
* * *
Hi! My name is Morgan, and I’ve been asked to answer the question, “What is it about friendship that inspires me?” I’ve also been asked to make sure I keep my response to under 600 words. My friend, Bailey (I call her “Bay”), knows me well. I have never had a shortage of words. I am almost never left speechless, yet there is something so inspiring about friendship that it leaves me feeling a bit, well…speechless.
This subject of friendship is a true passion, near and dear to my heart. Friendship is personal. It is about mutual respect, trust, and support. Friendship is sharing. Friendship inspires me because it drives me to be who God created me to be, to be an even better version of myself than I could ever be on my own. Friendship is vital to our surviving and thriving in this journey called Life. Friendship is more than I could ever convey in this single opportunity, but I will try. As I was asking God what I should say and how I should say it, I felt moved to tell you a story:
A little over a week ago, I met with two of my closest “forever” friends. Two friends who make three hours feel like five minutes, and the kind of friends who make you feel as though there will never be enough time. They are two of my greatest encouragers, biggest cheerleaders, faithful confidants, thoughtful listeners, intentional question-askers, kind truth-tellers, and simply the best!
It does not matter that we are all in different phases of our lives, we show up for each other. We show up for each other by coming “as we are.” Sometimes, we come broken, exhausted, wearing a hat and yoga pants. Other times, we show up fully dressed (make-up and all). Sometimes, we laugh so hard we cry. Other times, we cry so hard we laugh. We never leave each other without cramming as many hugs as humanly possible into whatever time we are given. Each and every time is a gift, which seems to be just what we all needed (at just the right time).
It had been nine months since all three of us had been together. You read that right– NINE MONTHS. What!? How does that happen? I guess it’s true when they say time stops for no one. My friend, Meg, even had time to deliver another human being in our time apart. By the way, she is Superwoman, raising three world-changers under the age of three. Yes, you read that correctly, too. What I love about this story and our most recent experience together is that we all walked away inspired, and here’s why:
We made a decision to get together and we committed to showing up “as we are.”
So, I was the girl in the hat and yoga pants (no make-up). I get dressed every day for my 9-to-5, and believe me, it takes its toll. It was a rainy Saturday, and my sole focus was to get in the car, with the same clothes I threw on to take my dog to the vet earlier that morning, and meet my best friends for lunch. I literally had the thought, I am not going if I have to get dressed for real. Thankfully, I called Bay and Meg and they understood. You need friends like that.
I cried all the way to the restaurant as I let the Truth of God’s Word and worship music wash over me. It had been a long week, full of transitions and trials (or, when looked at in a different light, real-life opportunities to trust God on another level). Maybe you’ve been there? My drive to lunch had resulted in tears because I remembered who God was in my “mess.” He was faithful. He is faithful. He will always be faithful. On that Saturday afternoon, His faithfulness was highlighted in friendship, as it so often is. I didn’t have to explain to my friends why I showed up with red, teary eyes. I was able to simply “be.”
Friendship inspires when it is authentic. Over our three hour lunch, we all took our turn with tears. We all took our turn to tell the truth (and nothing but the truth) and encourage each other. Over our three hour lunch, we had church and we left inspired. And this, my friends, is only a glimpse into why friendship inspires me. I’d like to leave you with a similar question of my own:
What is God teaching you about friendship right now?
* * *
Hey all, Bailey here! I’m so happy you got to meet Morgan and hear why friendship inspires her. We’d love to hear your thoughts on her question in the comments below or on Facebook so we can continue to discuss the importance of friendship with you! Thank you for spending time with us today! Blessings.
Recent Comments