We have all experienced at least one true friend. Those who are fortunate will have a sounding board of true and best friends. Often, we don't give credit to those people in our lives who have stuck with us, continue to stick with us and will always stick with us. Whether or not we have given them the thanks they deserve, a good friend can never get enough appreciation. So, to my old friends and to my new friends alike, thank you.
To my friends from middle and high school:
Thank you for listening to me and sticking with me through a few (hundred) phases. Thanks for telling me when you thought I should think twice before rushing into anything. You saved me from heartbreak, given me advice I will treasure forever and helped me to grow into a social butterfly. You have been my companion through horrendous cross country meets, golf matches and long-nights setting up homecoming and prom. You played a big part in keeping me sane throughout those stressful times. You rejoiced with me when I got accepted to college, and you've held me when I cried.
To my friends from church:
You have seen me through some difficult times. You were with me before I accepted Christ and helped me through the transition of being a new Christian. Thank you for being there for me through middle school until now. Thank you for being my little group and safe place. Thank you for being a part of my testimony and helping me in building my life with God. You were the people that made our weekly Bible studies fun, and you and your families have always been there to give me advice and keep my feet on the ground. I cannot thank you enough for being my best pals and never failing to make our group special. You have been mentors, my best friends, my sounding board for my life plan, and my biggest supporters. You mean so much to me.
To my friends from college:
There aren't enough words to thank you for the four months of school that we spent together. Though I did have friends and family from home that I could call and Skype, it was nice to have a home away from home to keep me from having a breakdown every day. Thank you for taking me to new places around Washington and Oregon. Thank you for being faithful to keeping our relationships strong with weekly meetings, whether they were to the coffee shop on campus, to your dorm to watch a show or to Bentley's for the weekly special. Those moments of being so intentional with our time together made it all worth it. Thank you for being people I could open up every part of myself to and for being weird with me. Thank you for taking me on little car rides late at night, turning me into a bit of a rebel, giving me wonderful advice, talking about Jesus with me at any time of night and tolerating my constant sass. You are all treasures beyond what this world can put a price on.
To all of my friends, new and old:
I would not be who I am without you. I would not have gotten through middle school, high school. youth group, Bible studies, relationships and college without you. My life wouldn't have been as fun nor would I have grown and learned through it all if I didn't have someone I could trust with everything with but you. Thank you for being there for me at all hours, every day. Thank you for being generous, kind, lovely, selfless, funny, adventurous, and caring. I just hope I can return to you all of the love you have shown me throughout my life. I love you all.
