Lasting relationships

Currently reading: Ninth Witness by Bodie and Brock Thoene (part of the AD Chronicles series- I highly recommend them!)

This last week I have had the privilege of observing first-hand the impact of lasting relationships. First, my mom had two life-long friends come to visit for the weekend. And I truly mean life-long- they met when they were four, walked to school together every day from K-12, and still remain best friends today. The sheer amount of history represented in the decades they have known each other amazes me. The fact that they know family members, friendships, and so much about the lives of one another- even as they have spent the last couple decades living hundreds of miles away from each other.

Having moved a couple times as a kid, I have very few relationships that have lasted since childhood. However, I was privileged to have lunch this week with my friend, Brittney, whom I have known since I was two. Since that time, we haven't lived in the same town and now we don't even live in the same country. Still, I am blessed by the reality that no matter the time or distance we've spent apart, we can pick up where we left off and share in one another's lives. It's such a blessing to have that sort of history- someone who has been a life-long friend.

I consider this now, because I hope that even though I will be only in Ethiopia for two years (at least to start), I look forward to building these kinds of friendships. Whether with colleagues or students, to find someone that you can consider a friend for many years to come- no matter the time or distance you spend apart.