In my last post I wrote about how I was going through a season of difficulties. When reflecting on those difficulties I thought..."what about all the good in your life?" You see, it is easy for me to think and meditate on the bad things. The frustrating situations. The hard times that make me question "why?" However, I think it takes more effort to focus on the blessings in our lives. Which is completely ridiculous. We are all so incredibly blessed and need to bring light to the goodness the Lord showers us with. So I am challenging myself to do this. In the next couple of blog posts I will be focusing on the people and things that God has brought into my life that have blessed me immensely and have made me into thewoman I am today! So let this 'blessing journey' begin...
The first post I am going to dedicate is to a friend that has been such a sweet blessing in my life. Miss Fort Worth Teen 2004 herself... Mallory Elizabeth Chain Shows. This woman means more to me that I can express. She is the picture of a Proverbs 31 woman and is someone whose friendship means so much to me. Mallory and I met our freshman year at Hardin-Simmons University. HSU isn't big so I knew who she was but we didn't get to know each other until the Spring semester of our first year. I remember it like it was yesterday... I walked in the dorm late with some of my friends and Mallory and Ali were sitting down in the lobby eating Cracker Cuts cheese with Trisquits and watching Friends. We stopped and talked a while and soon were hanging out daily. Mallory had such a similar life story to me, which made it really easy to talk to her about things and be vulnerable (which ironically both of us hated doing and were not good at). We realized we both had been attending the same church and decided to get more involved at Beltway through the College class and homegroup. Also, another thing that brought both of us together closer than ever was pledging Sigma Alpha. We went through 5 weeks of ridiculousness and in those 5 weeks learned more about each other and ourselves. Mallory and my friendship has had rough times (cough cough Australia), and sweet times, but the thing that has made this entire relationship work out the way it has is that the Lord has always been in the center of it. God has been so good to us and has used this relationship, I feel, to mold both of us and grow us into the woman He desired us to be. Mallory is closer than a friend. She is my "soul friend" as we like to call it. My sister. We were connected for a purpose. To encourage. To edify. To bring joy to each other's lives. To make one another laugh. To pole vault (haha). To cry with. Stand next to on the most important days of our lives (I was there standing by Mal on her wedding day and with her the day her beautiful daughter came into this world-- and hopefully someday she will return those moments of mine). The important, funny, life changing, hard and exciting times in my life has all had Mallory in them. Whether she was there when I needed a shoulder to cry on, sending an affirming text or calling me just to check in. Mallory has been my biggest fan, encourager and prayer warrior these past 7 years (ok that makes me feel super old) and I believe she will be the same for many years to come. When I think of Mallory there are certain words that come to mind: beautiful, classy, intelligent, caring, selfless, wise, encouraging, loved, new anchor, bold, hilarious, intentional, set apart.
::Thank you Lord for putting Mallory in my life. You knew exactly what I needed all those years ago when I was a young 19 year old. She has spurred me on to You and has poured into me selflessly. She is a woman who truly fears You and is a beautiful picture of what I am called to be as a wife and mother. Continue to use our friendship to draw us closer to each other and You. You orchestrated this all those years ago and Father, if it is Your will, allow Mally Moo Moo to be in my life for many more years! You are good and everything that comes from You is good. We love and serve You humbly.... use us and our friendship for Your Kingdom Work!::
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