“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” 1 John 4:10
“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love.” 1 John 4:16
“We love because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:19
I’d like to talk to you about two forms of love today. The first involves friendship; the second, romance.
My best friend, Hannah Brooks, is the first person I met my freshman year at Texas Tech. It was a Wednesday morning in August, and I had woken up before the sun to make the drive by myself from San Antonio, TX to Lubbock, TX for a 4-day camp for incoming freshman called Foundation Retreat. I knew no one going to this thing and just hopped in line to register, completely overwhelmed by the loud counselors and the amount of people and the fact that I was standing on a college campus. The girl in front of me turned around and introduced herself, a Hannah just like me. We ended up in the same freshman girls bible study (shout out to you, Emma and Haley: Nike Shorts & Uggs fo lyfe) In the spring, the warm weather and the welcoming pool brought us together nearly everyday.
Hannah Brooks became my roommate, my best friend, my confidant, my encourager, my prayer warrior, my 4th sister.
I’ll never forget coming home with a broken heart our sophomore year, eyes brimming with tears I was too prideful to let loose. A few quiet knocks on Hannah’s door and sure enough we were sitting on her floor, me in a pool of tears, Hannah encouraging the waterworks and speaking life and Truth into my shattered heart.
That scene would replay over the next 3 years, with each of us on both sides of the conversation, learning to love each other even when the dishes weren’t done; even when the perfectionism came creeping out; even when the everyday monotony of living together fought to prove annoyance over love. Sitting in tears of sorrow and laughter, in fits anger and frustration, in (countless) meltdowns and (even more) excited squeals, I wouldn’t trade a single second. I am endlessly blessed knowing God let me be apart of this season in her training (of living with wonderfully wonderful us before she has to live with a stinky boy).
She is forever in my corner.
There are few I cherish more than Hannah Brooks.
We’ve known since the day I got accepted to the World Race that this day was coming quick. We’d been planning the engagement party for a month. He showed us the ring on Wednesday night while she was at work.
The weekend was filling up as family and friends traveled in from elsewhere, goodbyes and lasts seemed to be overwhelmingly present, and late nights with friends took precedence before they no longer could.
Before graduation on Friday, Hannah and I walked to Schlotzky’s to grab lunch. The peace that enveloped that walk is something I’ll never forget. In the midst of a crazy month, a crazy transition period, a weekend for the books, I got to take an afternoon walk with my best friend who had absolutely no idea she would be engaged in 24 hours. We talked about Cameron hanging out with the Rugby boys too much (who were in town for her engagement), about family, about The World Race and Asian breakfast. It was sweet and God knew my heart needed its nourishment.
Then, last night around 7:30pm, she said yes to forever and always with Cameron. They’ve agreed to walk this thing called life out together; to figure things out side by side; to always be each other’s cheerleaders (don’t worry, Cameron has prior experience in that area).
I am so thankful they know love and I am so overjoyed to watch God reveal His own perfect, unchanging, everlasting love through their beautiful, life-giving, kingdom changing, perfectly imperfect marriage.
You will be the most elegant, beautiful bride. Whether I am in Asia or Texas for this wedding of the decade, know I love getting to call you my friend and I’ll be right by your side the whole time, whether that’s close enough to fix your train or far enough to pray blessings and love to be drenched all over your life as Mrs. Hannah Jones.
“My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you’ll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God. God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!”
Ephesians 3:14-20 (MSG)
