It was a Thursday when I got a text from the boyfriend of my best friend of seven years, telling me he had something (and I quote) "top secret" to tell me. At that moment I have no idea what I was expecting to hear, but the moment he told me he was proposing that Saturday I remember jumping up from where I was sitting and shouting in excitement. While this was dramatic, it felt like a fitting reaction. There are a few words I want to make sure she hears before she goes on this journey, and I want to share them with anyone who might be in my same position.

Dear best friend,

I was incredibly blessed to meet you so long ago, and I could never have imaged we would go through the journey that we have. I've seen you grow from a shy high school freshman to an incredibly brave woman of God. I've watched you go through so much, and handle every hard thing life throws at you with incredible kindness and grace. You have one of the most beautiful souls I've ever seen, which is why I know you deserve all the happiness in the world and more.

I am so overjoyed that you're engaged now, and I sometimes can't even believe we're old enough for this to be happening. It sounds weird to say that my best friend is engaged, but here we are. Even though I don't think anyone could ever be good enough for you, your now-fiancé is the closest possible thing to perfect for you. He treats you like the queen you are and it's been so amazing watching the two of you fall in love. I am beyond excited for you to share the rest of your life with someone who cherishes you the way you deserve. I'm so at ease knowing you've found the one for you, and that he's a man of God who's going to be an amazing husband to you.

I don't have the words to explain how excited I am to help you walk down that aisle and begin the rest of your story with the love of your life. I cannot wait to help you prepare for a wedding which has (in all honesty) been in the planning stages since before we met. I'm even more thrilled that our conversations about bridesmaid dresses, flowers, venues, and everything else wedding-related are no longer hypothetical.

I'm desperately praying for you and your fiancé to experience all the joy possible and more. I know your future is an incredibly bright one, full of ups and downs and countless journeys in between. I also know God is going to bring you both countless blessings and cannot wait to see the two of you share them.

The last words I want to say to you are that I am so immensely proud of you. You inspire me every day with your spirit and strength. You've achieved so much in only 20 years and I know you're going to do so much more. You are an incredible, beautiful, and wonderful person who I am honored to call my best friend.

With all the love in the world,

Mel