This blog isn’t about me. It’s about a woman whose taught me so much within this eleven month journey who I’m proud to call my sister & one of my best friends.
Here’s to the woman woke me up our first night in Africa so we could pray for protection out loud as a witch doctor was outside our door shaking furiously to get inside. The door wasn’t physically locked, but God miraculously provided him no entry. Lyndsey, thank you for showing me the importance of fervently praying out loud with community and that miracles truly exist and aren’t simply a thing of Biblical times.
Here’s to the woman that stood by my side as we played with a little girl who was being physically abused by her grandma while we got to love on her. Thank you for even showing me how to serve a grandma and show the victim and the abuser love. Lyndsey, I’m grateful you showed me that gentleness doesn’t minimize your strength but makes you even stronger and that a servant doesn’t make you any less of a fighter for justice.
Here’s to a woman who I’ve spent almost 100 hours with in a coffee shop building relationships with locals and sharing about Jesus. Lyndsey, thank you for showing me how our heart can expand for every new person we meet around the world and that there is no restriction.
Here’s to a woman who is fearless physically and fearless in her identity with God. Lyndsey, thank you not just for bungee jumping with me off of a bridge, but also jumping with steps of faith. Thank you for listening as I found freedom to roots of my past that were entangling me from growth, but I didn’t even know existed. You knew that how you could help me with my journey was by giving me space so I could be with God.
Here’s to a woman who has given me encouragement and has sharpened me. Lyndsey, thank you for showing me that being a sister doesn’t always mean encouraging every decision I make. True sisterhood means at times encouraging, at times questioning, and at times being silent, but with all the intentions of pointing me back closer to Jesus. None of this is for me or even you, but for the one who is at the center of our relationship.
Here’s to a woman who searches thoroughly until she finds me to wave goodbye for the month as my team departs to the mountains in the Dominican Republic. Lyndsey, thank you for always encouraging me in what the Lord is seeking me to do and where He wants me to go even if it looks different from your plans. Thank you for celebrating together with stories and God moments at the end of every month no matter if it’s been a harder or easier month for you – you have shown me humility to celebrate with me.
Here’s to a woman who is my Ruth when I’m her Naomi. As we head back to America, the last time I will see my world race family is in July as we process our transition for the past month in America. This week I couldn’t help but think when the next time I’m going to see these beautiful people I call family and have done life with this past year. This week, as I chatted with Lyndsey on the phone we start talking about feeling led to do missions again for two weeks during winter break. We were both praying about whether to go back to Haiti or Vietnam for this season. As we were chatting I knew it was a possibility God would bring us to different paths and felt peace, but a little sad that this journey of missions with my best friend was coming to a close. Then I hear a Lyndsey say, “For where you will go I will go” (Ruth 1:16). I don’t know if she realized it, but she said precisely what Ruth told Naomi. This verse was one meant to show the beauty of woman relationships, but more than anything the sacrifice, the commitment, the challenges, the victory, and agape love. This love isn’t a I love you because (insert achievement here). This love isn’t a I love you (insert expectation here). This love isn’t even I love who you are now. This love is a love for you past, present, and future self even through sacrifices and victories. Lyndsey, thank you for being my Ruth on this journey and when we get back home. We may be hundreds of miles away, but I know you’ll always be my Ruth.
