I lead our prison outreach at church and tonight we had someone sharing her story of her friend. The story was of their relationship and how forgiveness played a huge part in their ability to grow closer together. My best friend (I will refer to her as bff from here on out :) ) was here this past weekend. She is truely my confidant. The one person that I can share everything thing with - knowing that I will not be judged but instead she will love me no matter what crazy thing comes out of my mouth. Brooke and I have been through plenty. I have made plenty of mistakes throughout our friendship. Her ability to forgive me is what has gotten us to where we are today. I truely believe that relationships that have the ability to withstand hardships are stronger because of it.
Our friendship kindof took a hit a few years ago. We didn't talk for months. We slowly started talking again after almost a year. I remember it just being easy. It was when Andrew and I got engaged that we started to really talk. She had gotten married 2 years ago and I didn't even know where to start with wedding plannin. As the few months before our wedding followed we became close once again. Her husband Josh was in our wedding party and was planning on coming up for most of the week before for all the pre wedding festivities. The last two weeks before our wedding Andrews mom took a turn for the worse. She had been diagnosed with her 5th cancer earlier that year and until that point we truely believed she would be healed. Exactly a week before our wedding Nancy died. She was the most amazing woman I had ever met - but that is for another blog. I remember talking with Brooke that day and without any hesitation she wanted to be with with me that week. She didn't have a ticket but got one, and 3 days later was here. The days leading up to the wedding she was the biggest help. I am fully convinced without her help and my other bridesmaids I would have gone insane. I was able to spend the time focusing on Andrew's family when I needed to and when wedding stuff came around I knew I would be taken care of. Not anyone would just drop everything and and fly hundreds of miles away last minute. That was the week I realized I would not let what happened before happen again. Through a crazy turn of events she ended up standing up in our wedding - that was completely ironic but looking back it was completely perfect.
Brooke and I are pretty much as opposite as they come... she is girly, me not so much, she was a dancer, me sooo not so much. The list of differences could go on and on. After I dropped her off at the airport I had tears in my eyes (and if you know me, this just does not happen) I was just overwhelmed by how blessed I am by her friendship. I am the first to admit that I am sometimes difficult, she knows this, but she still loves me. We have the most fun together and I am 100% certain that any person in this world would be blessed to be her friend, yet she choose me to be her best. She challenges me, she tells me it will be ok when it just isn't yet, she tells me when I am out of line, she tells me when someone else is out of line, she encourages me to grow, she makes up fun names for us like c3po and r2d2 and calls me her co-pilot, she sets an amazing example for so many people in her life as well as me. I find a much stronger and deeper value in having a few close friends - quality over quantity. Brooke is as quality as it comes. She is genuine. She truely loves people and loves helping and serving. I couldn't ask for a better friend. I am feeling truely blessed tonight. Thank you Jesus for the amazing people you have placed in my life!
~my best friend is the one who brings out the best in me~
