I know I say it often, but I have the most amazing friends.

I feel that I should tout as often as possible just how much my friends impact and change my life. Sometimes I am blown away by the huge and significant ways my friends love me, but also because sometimes it is in the small things they do that change my heart.

God has been wrecking my heart lately… In the very best of ways (I suppose), but still, it has been painful, which has left my heart feeling exposed, raw, and fragile. And, when I am feeling less than in control of my emotions, I naturally pull together and work to project security and confidence in order to give myself space to figure things out.

However, this time it is different, and I know that a lot of the process that God and I are going through right now is dealing with, healing from, and making new so that we can move forward restored.

So, repeatedly I have chosen not to sidestep what God is doing deep in my heart, and decided to sit in it and allow things in my heart to be dealt with. — Not particularly one of my favorite things, I prefer to be strong and capable, but in this instance I think it is important.

I have had several conversations recently with different friends, and each time, I chose to tell them what was going on with my heart instead of bypassing with a standard response. Despite my desire to just offer a quick response, I shared how much I was struggling and how vulnerable I felt, then I held my breath, and waited for them to respond.

Like cold refreshing water or salve to a burn, their tenderness, compassion, support, and prayers left me feeling encouraged and comforted.

I have been amazed and so grateful for their love, tenderness, grace, mercy, understanding, wisdom, insight, perspective, prayers, and of course their hugs… And really, so much more..

I simply do not have words to accurately describe how thankful I am for my friends; they impact my life in profound ways and make me a better person every day.