Reunion

Here is a group of precious sisters who encourage me greatly. We have been meeting together in some capacity for the last 14 years. It began when one woman began discipling 5 younger college women. Then those 5 women began discipling other women. This is what is commonly referred to as "spiritual multiplication". This particular spiritual lineage has continued on past us to bear much fruit on the campus of Georgia College and State University. But something happened in those first 2 generations to bond us together. What started off as a few college "small groups" is now one group of women who are spread around the world, literally, but who try to come together once a year to share what the Lord has been accomplishing in their lives and in their faith. We are all in such different places in life. We have the incredible priveledge of walking through pain and suffering with one another. It seems that the older we get, the more difficult the trials get. But getting together on this one weekend every year always feels like such a significant marker to me. "Whewww! I made it here once again. I lived through the last year, fighting the good fight of faith, to tell about it. To share with some of my dearest friends all that the Lord has done and has taught." Its incredible! We get to spill our guts out in such a safe place and have the godliest women we know pray for us. And then before we know it the weekend is over and we're on our way back to our places of battle, feeling refueled and recharged and ready to live the next year of life to the fullest, only by the grace of God.

This group of women have been especially dear to me through this adoption process. As soon as I start to talk about Sophie and where we are in this journey, I see this sweet little smile come up on everyone's face. Sometimes I even notice a few moist eyes at the first mention of her name. I'm not sure why it always catches me by surprise a little. I guess because these kinds of realtionships are so uncommon. These are the friendships that truly represent the unselfish, others-focused, love of Christ. I know that these women are praying for Sophie, and for the Lord to hasten the day that we will meet her. I can't wait for them to meet her too.