My Best Friend’s Birthday!!!

God brings people into our lives in different ways. Sometimes they are there for just a season, and sometimes they are there as long as you're both living.

Today is one of my best friend's birthday!!!! Stacie came into my life sophomore year of college and my life has been filled with crazy laughter ever since!! ;) Stacie is one of the funniest people I've ever met...although I think we laugh the most at our own ridiculousness and weird friendship quirks (like every time we talk on the phone, and I mean EVERY TIME, one or both of us is in a drive thru or using the bathroom...sorry if that was TMI). We have been friends for 5+ years now and we just get each other and we laugh at and with each other!

God let our paths cross during a very difficult time in my life. My college experience was difficult and isolating and full of struggle. I had multiple things going on in my life that I was in counseling for and trying to work through all 4 1/2 years of college. One of the very first nights of knowing Stacie, we sat up until late hours in the night talking and sharing our stories with each other. She was one of the first people that I could talk to and didn't feel judged by. She didn't offer up some spiritual answer to solve all my issues. She listened. And she continued to listen as our friendship continued through the next year. We were roommates my junior year and her senior year. And let me tell you ....i know God orchestrated this friendship because that year would have been enough to end any relationship otherwise!! It was just hard. I still had my issues, on top of new ones that included severe anxiety and panic attacks and fear. Multiple times I remember waking up in the dead of the night in panic and short of breath. I'd wake her up, hesitantly. I didn't want to wake her, but I needed someone up with me so badly. And she would get up and stay up with me until I could fall asleep. She would talk me through it. When she didn't know what else to say or do, she would pray for me and the Lord was so faithful to answer her prayers and give me comfort and hope. I don't know if I could ever express to her how much that meant to me. She took the time to listen to me and be a friend. She didn't judge me or make me feel bad for not going out and being around people like most college students do. She would invite me places, but not pressure me or scold me if I didn't go. I am so thankful for her friendship during that time because I truly felt like I had nobody and was so isolated and fearful and struggling, yet she didn't run from my mess. She cared enough to stay. She knew I had to walk through it, even if I took the harder, longer path at times. She let me figure it out, but she stayed and she provided encouragement, comfort and hope. And she provided laughter and times when I really could relax and have fun and momentarily forget about the struggles.

Spiritually, Stacie has been a source of encouragement and accountability. She has seen me at my worst and listened when I've needed to confess sin. She has given me truth when I needed to hear it and grace to buffer it...Stacie has experienced a lot in her life. She's seen the Lord's faithfulness and goodness through trials and struggles and heartache that could have worn her slam out had she not had Jesus. Her faith continually inspires me and blesses me. Even in her hardest days and her most pressing struggles, her heart's deepest desire is Jesus-to love and know Him and to make Him known.

I am so blessed by my friendship with Stacie. We say all the time how it was orchestrated by God for His glory and our good. We are able to walk and talk with each other through hard times and laugh and enjoy life in the good times.

Stacie, you will never know how much you bless me and encourage me and point me closer to Jesus. This year I couldn't afford to buy you a birthday present, but I want you to know that Christ shines in you. He has given you such gifts and talents and the ability to use them well, for His glory. He has called you out of several strongholds and broken many chains. He has given you everything you need for life and godliness. He loves you more than we can ever fathom completely and He is passionately, unrelentingly, unhesitatingly pursuing your heart each moment. I consider myself very blessed to get to watch how He works in your life and I am thankful that He has allowed me to know such a godly friendship. You are a blessing.

I hope your birthday is AMAZING!! Even though you've been sick, I hope your day is great and I hope you know how truly loved you are and how blessed the world is to have you in it.

Now, enjoy some pics ;)