Four years ago I was a wreck.
I was sad, and alone, and questioning pretty much everything there is to be questioned in the world. I sobbed in my car for hours and begged God to give me just one friend who I could trust and be real with and not pretend to have everything figured out.
Tonight there was a whole living room full of people in my house doing just that.
Every Friday night my house is overrun by a group of young(ish) adults. There’s food, discussion, encouragement, questions, prayer, laughter, teaching, and the general sharpening of iron against iron.
How we got there was a process, and calls for a much longer post. But tonight I’m grateful.
Grateful for the newly engaged couple to travel all the way from Michigan to surprise their friends still here, missing them.
Grateful for the friend who also decided to come back home this weekend, unannounced, after slaving away at an internship for months on end.
Grateful for my sister who also came home this weekend, also unannounced, to surprise all her adoring fans waiting for her here.
None of these people planned their surprise returns to coincide with each other. Yet here we are, a regular old Friday night (not even Thanksgiving) and it’s a good old mini-reunion.
Four years ago, crying in my car, I never thought a night, a group, a community like this would ever be possible.
Tonight I’m thankful for being wrong. Thankful for friends who become family. Thankful for surprise visits. Thankful for answered prayers. Thankful for community.
Have a good night, have a good weekend, be blessed.