My Feet, Legs, Arms and Hands

We are into the third full week of January, can you believe it? My head tells me January has just begun, but we're flying through the month. I'm thankful for Holley's prompts that keep me writing!

The Body of Christ is a tricky thing...sometimes too fluffy if viewed from far away and too gritty when seen up close. We are both fallen and redeemed and must live in that tension as we stumble, kneel, stand, walk together.

I grew up with glimpses of friendship, little peeks at the Body done right. Then I left home, and in God's goodness, I was immersed in this thing called sisterhood. I've written about a few of these lovelies before, but how to you fully describe the people who have grown so close that you feel that soul connection?

Lindsey keeps my feet on the ground, rooted in Scripture. Samantha gets those feet moving. Andi walks beside me. Emily keeps my hands from being idle, and Kiley keeps my fingers typing. Krystal is my smile, my laughter, and Julia?

Julia prays.

I met Julia as a sophomore in college and quickly identified her as everything I wished I was, but wasn't. She is bubbly, petite, impeccably dressed, adorably cute. She doesn't care what others think. She's an optimist. She runs.

We both signed up for the Trinidad Spring Service Project, and before we left the country, we paired up as travel buddies. She was dating (and is now married to) one of my guy's guys, so we bonded quickly over their antics and cemented our friendship under the Trini sun. Throughout our trip I saw more ways I wanted to be like Julia. She worships. She loves. She encourages.

Since then we've gone through transfers, weddings, moves, heartaches, and triumphs. And the longer I'm friends with Julia, the more I learn from her. She seeks. She invests. She perseveres.

I needed to list a encouragement partner as part of the God-Sized Dreams Team application, and so I asked Julia to be my travel buddy once again. I don't know where 2013 will bring us, but I do know Julia will keep asking, keep praying, and keep Scripture popping up on my phone.

The Body of Christ is a tricky thing. But I know God has blessed me with arms to hug me, legs to keep me going, mouths to speak truth. And that is beautiful.