If there’s one thing I’m thankful for right now, it’s my friends. I haven’t been thankful for a lot lately, but at this moment, I can’t get over my friends. I don’t have a lot of them, but the ones I do have are really great.
Today I spent four hours in a taco restaurant with two friends talking about everything from singleness to the difficulties of living a Christian life. We covered a lot of ground. And what I’m most thankful for about these friends is that we could honestly relate to what each other was going through. I know for me, I tend to feel alone in most of my actions or feelings. I think that I’m the only one who has bad thoughts or does bad things, but I’m not. Hearing their thoughts and the things they’re going through just reminded me that I’m not alone.
Another thing I’m thankful for about these girls is that even though we had a lot of questions, doubts, and serious frustrations, no one had all the answers. No one even tried to have all the answers. We just sat there and wrestled through things with. There weren’t any huge revelations. There was no condemnation. We were simply real, and I appreciate that.
As for my other friends, I’m thankful that they’re cool with me being probably the most boring person on the planet. Actually, I’m thankful that they’re pretty boring themselves. We’re all boring together, even though one of them left us to lead a crazy fancy life in England for a year. It’s whatever. I’m not bitter or anything.
I’m thankful for friendship triangles. And friendship lines. I’m thankful they don’t hate me too much for not loving puppy chow. I’m thankful for three hour Skype conversations. I’m thankful for lunch after church because that’s the only time we can see each other.
Now I’m gaining a whole new set of friends as well – my squad mates. There are A LOT of them, which can get overwhelming, but their excitement for the Race and for one another is amazing. I’m thankful for their desires to give up everything to serve the Lord all over the world. I’m thankful for the encouragement they give daily. I’m thankful for three hour Skype conversations (again…I just can’t seem to have short Skype conversations).
I’m thankful for one-on-ones. I’m thankful for the balance of introverts and extroverts. I’m thankful for someone to text ecstatically when I beat a certain someone at Trivia Crack. I’m thankful for accountability. I’m thankful for the adventures we’re going to have together. I’m thankful for their joyful hearts.
I’ve never been one to have a lot of friends. I’m just not the type of person who needs a lot. I’m happy with my four solid friendships at home. Thank you for not hating me too much for ditching you guys because I’m too tired to hang. I’m pathetic, I know. Thank you for letting me go on and on about the Race and not getting annoyed (or at least not showing it).
Thank you for your support of what the Lord is asking me to do. Thank you for the memories we’ve made over the last four years. I sometimes wonder what my life would have been like if I hadn’t gone to Cru that first week of freshman year. What I usually come up with is that it would suck, because I wouldn’t have met you guys.
Now that I’m moving toward a season where 50+ people are going to be my friends and family for 11 months, I’m a little scared, and a lot excited. I can’t wait to see what the Lord is going to teach us through each other and our experiences together.
Give me time (major introvert here needs to take things slowly), and I know that each and every one of you are going to hold an incredibly special place in my life. It’s hard for me to let people in, but please know that I deeply desire to have meaningful relationships with all of you – even if it’s hard, even if it scares me. Because you are worth it.
I thank God right now for every friend He’s given me to bring happiness, joy, and love to my life. I only hope I can do the same for you.
