Eleven Years

Shannon and I in Jin Li, Chengdu, China

This eleventh month of the year 2011 will mark eleven years of friendship with one of the dearest people I know.  When my family moved back to Colorado in the fall of 2000, I was a lonely 12 year old, uprooted from all I knew and attempting to adjust to the multitude of changes occurring in my life.  My aunt, knowing I was in need of a good friend, set my family and another family up on a "friend blind date" of sorts.  And so, on a chilly November evening, Shannon and I met for the first time at a toy store in our small town.  

Since that day, we have experienced so much together.  We've gone through joys and heartbreaks, close times and seasons where we drifted apart, hilarious adolescence and attempting to figure out this whole adulthood thing.  But through it all, Shannon has been one of the dearest, most faithful of friends.  I remember huddling away in a corner to pray for our future husbands together when we were 13, listening to hours of LaRue, attempting to give Shannon dreadlocks during a weekend in the mountains at age 14, and our first annual all girls camping trip.  But, perhaps my most favorite memory is when we dreamed of going to the nations.  A true kindred spirit, Shan and I would dream about where the Father would call us, how many orphans we'd save, and what languages we'd learn to share the gospel in.  Our hearts bonded while dreaming about reaching a dark and hurting world with the glorious light of the Son.  And that's exactly what we did.

Through the years, we've watched each other go to five continents, swapping Africa stories and laughing about culture shock.  We've loved on those orphans and shared the good news in over 20 countries between the two of us.  And all those years of dreaming about being like Amy Carmichael when we grow up are making this exact moment so much sweeter.

You see, I am in China.

Shannon has been living here for the past year, serving the King we both so ardently love and have pursued together.  Closer now than ever, we talk for hours about the marvels of our King and the beauty of His ever-present grace in our lives.  Watching His work in her has been one of life's greatest pleasures and actually being able to live life with her here for a few days is beyond sweet.  Everyday here I am moved to tears by the goodness of the Father.  He brought us from little girls with big dreams to a place where we are actually living them.

Friendship is one of the Father's most precious gifts to us.  Being able to walk in covenant with another human being through the good and bad times is such a picture of Christ's love for us.  Having someone walk with you who says "I will fight for the Father's best in your life and not allow you to settle for anything else" is truly amazing if we stop and think about.  Friendship allows us to witness another's life, cheering them on along the way.  Shannon has spent the last few years cheering me on, supporting me, and encouraging me while I've been living and serving overseas, and now it's my turn to cheer.  And that's exactly why I'm in China -- cheering on my faithful friend in the work of our Daddy-King.  

Oh, and I am having WAY TOO MUCH FUN doing it!

Oh thank you Father for friendship.