to my kindred spirit

One of my dear friends is celebrating another year of life and it brought me to reflect on how much I value her friendship. It was 20 years ago (yikes!) that we met at Prairie Bible College. We were moving into the dorm and met in the elevator - and my dad in his wisdom said, 'Jen, that seems like a really nice girl. I think she'll be a good friend for you.' Well, he was certainly right! We quickly became friends along with other dear ones who continue to hold big 'parking spaces' in my heart.

My friend is, in the words of my hero Anne of Green Gables, a kindred spirit. We have shared many laughs, adventures, heart aches and joys. I have come to realize that such a kindred spirit is truly a gift. As you journey through life and meet many people along the way, there are some special relationships that you know will last the test of time, no matter how often you see each other. The kind of friend with whom you can connect, not worrying if you've caught up on all the stories, but feeling confident that whatever is shared will be cherished as a sacred gift.

My friend has come to the 38th year of life - an age that 20 years ago we predicted would most certainly be 'gross'. Nearing that scary age of 40, not even close to 30's any more, we were sure that it would be a terrible age. Well, having experienced that gross age for the last several months, I can say that it's not as bad as we'd anticipated. Still hard to believe we are actually nearing the big 4-0, but there is a good feeling of having grown up just a little bit :) That sense of having experienced enough of life to know that we certainly don't have it all figured out, and naive enough to still keep on dreaming big dreams.

So my dear friend, I celebrate you and give thanks for the years we've shared together. I look forward to becoming those crazy old ladies we always imagined we'd be, never giving up on the chance for a new adventure. You inspire my faith as you serve with such love and hope. May you continue to radiate the joy and peace of our Father. With love from your kindred spirit xo