Fe….two of the most important letters of the alphabet to me. They represent strength and love, kindness and compassion, accountability and fairness. It represents my closest and dearest friend, the friend who’s going on this journey with me of God’s calling for us. Let me tell you a little bit about her.
When I met Emily 8 ½ years ago, I was an outsider in a close knit group of friends, the new girlfriend accompanying her guy to an awards ceremony and then more intimately one week later at Emily’s house. It was this wacky “dinner” experience with 20 other people that included having no real clue what was coming out on my plate next and not knowing whether I’d even have silverware to eat it! (I’ll have her tell you more about that, but let’s get back to the point.) Truth be told, she intimidated the heck out of me. She’s a beautiful, Type A, very organized woman who knows how to throw an event to remember with 12 minutes notice, knows exactly what she wants, and speaks her mind while doing it eloquently. I’m not scared of much, but Emily? She made me nervous because she was so put together.
Now you should know this about me….I’m outgoing. I can walk into a room and converse with strangers and make a speech and it feels like I’m talking to a group of people I’ve known all my life. But when it comes to making true friendships, I freeze. It’s that fear of being rejected or hurt that keeps me at bay, knowing that it’s just one more person that’s secretly judging me about my past and my sins. So, I tend to hold people at arm’s length because I know that one day, they’ll just walk away.
It was different with Emily. She called me randomly and we grabbed lunch. I went to visit her after a knee surgery. She’d check in on me and see how I was doing. I didn’t feel judged or weird or less than. I felt like she was truly just trying to be my friend. When she moved away for her job, we kept in touch and still talked, despite the miles apart. And over those miles, it went from acquaintances to friends. From friends to close friends. And from close friends to my best friend. We’ve planned vacations together, spent holidays together, driven hundreds of miles to be able to spend a few short hours together before we have to be off again, back to our lives. Two women who love Christ and want to follow His calling in our lives. I know God designed this meeting between us years ago. Because since that time, the boyfriend that introduced us is out of the picture. Relationships and friendships around us have come and gone or grown. Life has not only sometimes kicked us in the gut but it’s given us sweet memories and joys that we’ve been able to be a part of together. God had a sovereign plan for our lives. He took two women with a desire to write and speak about God’s mercy and meshed it into a beautiful adventure that’s taking two best friends down this trail of obedience.
Back to the Fe…..I have them inscribed on my arm in the form of a tattoo. So does Emily. But what does it mean, Erin, for crying out loud?! It’s the symbol for iron on the periodic table of elements. It was taken from our verse, Proverbs 27:17, As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. It’s a daily reminder to us that not only are we best friends, we’re Christ followers and we’re meant to build each other up, love each other in grace, and hold each other accountable. Two women with a vision from God to share our lives—our screw ups, our mistakes, our victories, our journeys—and help women know that God’s grace is sufficient and that our mistakes don’t define us. Jesus Christ does.
So grab a warm cup of coffee and pull up a chair. We’re inviting you to sit and relax on our front porch and live life together with us. Welcome to the journey!
Iron Porch 