Then there's Katie...

So I've been thinking all day about how to describe Katie. It's hard to find words for someone so awesome. God sent me my best friend. Literally. Several years ago, our church hired a new preacher and from the day his daughter came into our sanctuary, she's been my strong-hold. We've been through a lot together and have survived being states apart and now several hours and busy college schedules. She's the one that we can leave a conversation and pick back right where we left off two days ago. She's the one that just today sent me a picture of a building because she thought the windows looked like a smiley face. My memories of us are endless. From the time we were dressed like shepherds to the night at the world's scariest Econo Lodge. Our white-water rafting trip where Cracker Barrel never tasted so good was filled with memories. Even now, when I hear Keith Urban's lyrics, "From the prettiest mountains from Georgia to Tennessee..." I think of that trip. Probably the best memories I have of us would be our mission trip to Birmingham this past summer. Throughout that week, I saw my friend, the vivacious one with a contagious smile, reach out effortlessly to those people in need and share the story of Christ with them. I admire her strength and her faith so much. She's an amazing person and I'm so glad to have her in my life. It was on the trip that a boy in our team from Alabama gave us our name, "biffles" (bffl=best friend for life). Despite our distance, our friendship has only grown stronger. She comes to me when that boy plays with her heart again and I go to her when I need assurance that my Mr. Darcy is out there. A blog that my new friend Marion wrote earlier inspired me to take a look at our friendship and to be so grateful for it, even through the arguments and hurt feelings. She's there for me. She always will be. I don't doubt that because I'm the same for her. So to whoever read this, thank your best friend and appreciate him or her for who they are and for who they encourage you to be.