{Out of the Blue} Surprise Friendship

I am surrounded by some of best friends a girl could have right here in my everyday life.

Jaclyn and I have a 14-year history that spans so many seasons of life. Together we have five kids in five years who love-hate each other like siblings. Sarah and I text almost every day and like to lunch together even though our 3-year-old boys don't like to sit still. Courtney and I have different schedules as she homeschools her two and my oldest goes to kindergarten, but our friendship is worth making it work even if we don't love how the once weekly playdates have changed. Jenn and I became friends because we kept running into each other at preschool and birthday parties, so now we make plans to run into each other.

My community of these friends and others has sustained me and spurred me on toward whatever was coming next. I miss these women when I go very long without seeing them. I texted them all when my girl spiked a fever and I was trying to figure out what to do. They were there for me, even when I was 848 miles from home.

So, honestly, I wasn't looking for new friends. But God gave me some anyway.


Kristen at Chasing Blue Skies has a weekly link-up on surprises. This week's prompt is: 

Tell me about a surprise friendship of yours, one you didn’t necessarily anticipate forming.

Holley Gerth assembled this God-sized Dream Team that I've written about before. We have a Facebook group where much encouragement happens. At first, it seemed several of other 99 women knew each other and had existing relationships. I had read Holley's blog regularly before this and heard of other women who have well-read blogs. But that was it for my prior knowledge. Admittedly, I wondered about my place in this group because I wasn't necessarily desiring an online community of new friends. But I did want inspiration and encouragement as I sought God in a new way.

Well, you know, God has his way of doing what he wants to do regardless of what we think is necessary. 

I've bonded with a couple of the women over blog posts. Elizabeth and I seem like we're meant to be friends. Jessica sent me an elf hat {ah, now the photo makes sense ...} because when I blogged about buddies I talked about how the word makes me cringe and think of Buddy the Elf. Tonya's adoption story is one I love following. I just finished reading a book Kris wrote. Kristin and I have talked about trusting God when he leads us to change. And each time Holley writes {on her blog or more privately in our Facebook group} it's like she's sitting at my kitchen table. And that's on the tip of the encouragement iceberg, friends.

These women have grand ideas that inspire me. I wouldn't get to hear their dreams and prayers and hopes and struggles if I didn't invest in this online community that has surprised me with its depth and place in my life. Whether they mean to or not, these women cheer me on as I mother, dream, write, act, plan, promote, communicate, love and serve.

So, thank you, God, for surprising me yet again by proving your ways really are better than mine. Of course, this has been true and will always true, so I probably really shouldn't be surprised.
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I'm linking up today as part of the "Out of the Blue" series at Chasing Blue Skies. Want more? Subscribe to get "Insights" in your inbox. Like 152 Insights on Facebook. Or follow me on Twitter.