My best friend

To know me you have to know my best friend  Jenifer. We have known each other for about 15 years and have been thru life's ups and downs. 

Jenifer and I met in YWAM when we were put together as roommates in our DTS. She and I were instant kindred spirits. We were the envy of the other DTS girls because we never fought we never had an argument and loved being together... She and Chris were dating at the time and Chris was down in California at LIFE Bible college, one of his friends was Daniel Burgess and he would send pictures to Jen of his friends and we would put them on the wall of our room. Little did I know that friend of his would be my husband. 

We navigated the jungle of Thailand together.... not really, but we did navigate the streets of Pang Nga Thailand and the open air market where we gorged ourselves on pineapple and their amazing fruit everyday. 

She was the reason I ended up down at LIFE Bible college. She and Chris were down there at school and I missed her so I decided to go down there too... of course that was the Lord. Jenifer had Daniel picked out for me before we had met and when I got to LA for school she and Chris took Daniel and I to Disneyland for the day, but they promise they weren't trying to set us up... we still wonder. (that's another story)

I flew up to be in their wedding when I was in Oregon going to George Fox  University. Then she and Chris came up to be in our wedding.

Jenifer flew up to be with us right after Ethan was born, she was there to help me celebrate his new life not knowing that exactly one month later she would suffer the tragic and very swift loss of her own dad to cancer. 

She was there when I called 5 years later with the horrible news that my dad also had cancer... then she celebrated with me when he was healed.

She just completed her Master's degree in biblical theology.... something I could never do. This picture was taken last month when we went up for her graduation. She is one of the people I admire and respect the most in this world. She loves the Lord with her life and didn't just get her Master's degree under normal circumstances but she did it while co-pastoring a large church in Seattle with her husband and giving birth and raising two beautiful children. She amazes me.

In many ways we couldn't be more different, she thrives in the classroom setting, I wilt. She can pull all-nighters like a pro and still be a gracious wife and patient mommy the next day... I cry when I don't get my usual 8 or 9 hours of sleep. But the thing I love about Jenifer is that she loves me for exactly who I am and has never, never tried to change me. She tells me regularly how much she admires me, and that is always nice to hear. But we also have amazing things in common. We love the Lord with everything and are crazy about our families. The only thing I hate is that we live so far apart, but even that hasn't been able to dull our friendship. 

She called me yesterday and encouraged me. She is one of the people I know prays for me regularly and I have been able to stand on her prayers. 

That is a true friend.