Sisters.

Three years ago I made the decision to walk away from the religion of my childhood and walked into a community of people that would show me more than I could ever imagine I would learn in all the years of my existence. When I did this I had no idea I would be walking into the absolute hardest but most wonderful years of my life. They would show me what it meant to live life intentionally, how to receive love, how to give love, how to show the love of Christ in very real ways, and would give me eyes to see the world like I never thought I could.

Among this community of people, six beautiful ladies stand out among the incredible rest. They've been there for me every single step of the last few years. They are my sisters. I've grow so much with and because of them. I thank God for a lot but I can never thank God enough for these girls. They've literally held my hand, been a shoulder for many many tears, and been the source of countless laughs. But more than anything, these girls taught me what it looks like to live out Jesus. They struggle. They love hard. They don't give up. They answer to the Father. They are absolute blessings.

Every single one of us is so so different,
Christine. Loves like a mother, selfless beyond belief, unwilling to compromise.
Alyson. Accepting of everyone she encounters, unwavering trust in God, enthusiastic.
Kailey. Understanding, clever, sure of the promises of God.
Anna. Confident in herself and her God, playful, endearing.
Dayena. humble leader, entertaining companion, compassionate soul.
Gemma. caring soul, seeks the heart of God, patient.

These girls. These girls embody to me what I believe the body of Christ should look like. Through them I have learned what it means to live out the scriptures, what it looks like to put self after others, what a family should look like, how to express true love, how to seek truth, how to forgive, how to seek Jesus, how to live.

What I have found in these girls, is what Christ is all about. Being relational. Sharing the truth of God by being a person who whole heartedly seeks to try to live their life in the most unwavering, Christ centered way possible is a daunting task. Finding yourself in Christ requires quite a bit of getting lost. Community holds the map. We can not possibly live and make this journey all by ourselves. What's a road trip without companions who also want to search out the world's largest coffee cup? My point is this: I could not have experienced life fully without surrounding myself by great individuals. They have taught me more than I could have fathomed. Their perspectives, their encouragement, their love...revealed a portion of Christ I would have never known. Seek Christ? Also seek fellowship with his followers. There's no other way.

*photo credit: Alyson Rae, one of the lovely girls mentioned above :)