Women.
Some would say they are bad drivers … HOWEVER,
They are pretty powerful creatures. There are many women who have helped shaped my life and each one of them have uniquely captured very special places in my heart. One woman in particular has literally been my backbone for the last 7 years and 4 months of my life. Just knowing her has prompted and ignited the fiery passion I today hold for Christ.
I believe that life allows for many different seasons that bring many different people into our hearts. I stand firm that nothing is by mistake and everyone – everything – has a purpose even when we are in the thickets of struggle. In the midst of all my hardest life battles as a young adult woman, God has truly blessed me with an unshakeable friendship and has aligned a sisterhood that has deeply moved my understanding of what it is to be a woman.
She is known for persevering.
She is bold.
She knows she is to be treasured, that she is not some consolation prize.
She lives a fulfilling life.
She expects opposition.
She accepts defeat.
She loves others despite the response.
She is stirred by the task that lies ahead.
She is devoted.
She is knowledgeable.
She speaks in wisdom.
She is motivated by a deep sense of commitment to God.
And She isn’t afraid to step out in faith.
This is Melissa.
She is marked by a profound gratitude for what God is doing in and around us. She loves, follows, and trusts Jesus Christ. She is one of the most compassionate women I have ever met.
Women like this stand out because they have touched my heart, moved me in ways that are so unexplainable, and have genuinely loved me – even before I really knew what love was.
I have laughed with her, cried with her, sang with her, prayed with her, and even sat side by side with her through the hardest of moments. She has hugged me as I balled my eyes out after two extreme heartbreaks. She has been there for me through thick and thin, from highs to lows, and I know she will always be a sister no matter how many miles stretch between us.
We are so different in many ways, but God truly has brought us together –
We have learned from one another, we have shared our hearts, we have a friendship that is indispensable and undeniable. I look up to her and aspire to be a woman of her stature. She loves without regret and gives without ceasing.
Over the past 7+ years I have learned more about life in an art room in her home than anyone could ever imagine. I’ve grown up …visibly and spiritually. How we have interacted has literally become a beacon of hope.
As a single 27-year old woman, there are many times that I feel inadequate. To be a leader – to be a missionary – to even be writing this blog for you to read at this very moment. Those feelings stir me to reflect on Proverbs 11 and specifically in verse 14 it reads:
‘For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers.’
A good leader needs and turns to wise advisers in life. Not just when everything is going peachy-keen but legitimately when you are in the muck-and-mire. Melissa has encouraged and supported me in a multitude of these seasons. To list those out would take a decade, so I’ll just share the most recent story:
Tonight, a truck ran a red light, slid, and smashed into the front of my car. To say the least, I was devastated as I’m just shy of 4 months from launching on the world race. I realized tonight that God is really testing me and I see clearly why tonight even happened. That even in the coldest of struggles, He is there. My car isn’t that important and I am okay – not a single scratch on me! God gave me an opportunity in this bonker blizzard weather to chizzle at my character as a woman and to sit in gratitude for my life. To be honest, the ‘old Nikki’ would have cussed up a storm to the guy who drove that truck about her silly ol’ car getting hit (this response for sure isn’t AT ALL lady-like). Instead, the way I reacted to the gentleman who hit me made me realize how much heart change has really occurred. I wasn’t even upset at him! We exchanged information and it took minimal time before I was home safely. Granted, I did sit in my car and cry a little when I got home just from stress and after talking to my mom on the phone. I was just really shaken up. I think anyone would be!
Shortly after that moment, Melissa texted me. Her loving words of encouragement calmed my nerves and we joked about how the whole ‘car-less’ thing even happened! (… see what I did there… don’t think too hard)
😉
Needless to say, I’m thankful to have a sister like her to reaffirm that we are exactly where God wants us to be, and that is without a doubt the safest place to be! So, no matter the season of life you are in – no matter the struggle that is facing you in a snow storm – no matter the pack of emotions … Just remember it isn’t the circumstance that defines your character, but rather it’s your disposition.
My hope in life is to be marked as:
A woman who never gives up.
A woman who wholeheartedly loves Christ more than anything on the planet.
A woman who serves.
A woman whose identity is found in Christ alone.
A woman who has a pioneer spirit.
A woman who is obedient to the call on her heart.
To be a woman who will GO.
Despite the cost.
Despite the persecution.
Despite the suffering.
Despite how hard it may be.
And despite the bonker blizzard car crash that she may have to endure in order to just depend on God a little deeper than the day before.
Stay warm friends! <3
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