March 3, 2018
Hey, people! Today I am talking about something that gets talked about a lot: friends. And not just friends, but really, your people, your tribe, your special loved ones, etc. You truly become who you surround yourself with. Your character is shaped and formed into who you are by those that you spend the most time with. You may think you aren’t affected by those you hang with, but in reality, every minute spent with certain people is time in which you are shaped and molded to their likeness. This simple fact is carried out in multitudes in my life and yours. I have become who I am today and been pointed toward the woman I will become by those I have chosen to spend time with and share my life with. At the end of middle school and the very beginning start of freshmen year, I was a part of a large, fun crowd. I loved having lots of friends and people that I shared my time with. I had a select few relationships that I invested in, but I mainly hung out with a lot of people all the time in groups. And since then, one main thing I have learned over the past two years is the importance of finding “your people.” No, I am not saying that you have to ditch the large groups and multitudes of friends, but I AM stressing the importance of moving past having lots of acquaintances and instead moving toward having, perhaps small numbers of, people that you share your life with and invest in those relationships. I am all for more the merrier, but as far as relationships go, I have learned from experience that it is much, much harder to open up and benefit from friendships when you have a bunch of shallow friendships and no deep relationships. While friends are fun for a night out or a good time, people who you truly do and share life with are there for the overall improvement of yourself. They will push you to be your best, even when they aren’t at their best. Real “life-doers” together reciprocate advice, love, and concern for the other while each striving to do his/her best. It is so important to have people that you can be with, yet to not only be with them, but also share with them. From experience, when I am around those who I admire, I push myself to be at my greatest potential. Even better, when I am around those whose relationship with Jesus I admire, I am encouraged and challenged to strengthen my own faith with Jesus. I truly believe God has put the people in our lives to lead us towards our future selves, His future plan, and His love. It has been such an amazing experience, one of which I prayed for a long time, to see how God has intricately and strategically put certain relationships in my life. A challenge I give myself, and I give to you is this quote: “Leave others better than how you found them.” Can you imagine how much greater the world would be if we uplifted “our people” and encouraged them to be their best selves, all while they did the same for us? Jesus calls us to love others well and not with just a shallow love, but a deeper love that makes impact. To my people, I love you all, and I could never thank God enough for each of you. My prayer for everyone is to enjoy and be patient in your journey with God in finding your people, those you will share your life with, and if you have already found them, my prayer is that you would utilize every minute to show them love and encourage them in their own walk with Christ.
With love,
C