My gals.

I was having a hard time coming up with a post idea for the end of this week.  It's summer - we're busy being outside and waiting {im}patiently for our trip to the beach.  Less than 2 weeks!!!!

We're kind of on "cruise control" right now, and I just don't have a lot floating around in my head.

Crazy, huh?

Anyways, I started thinking about how I have BIG plans for tonight with 2 of my favorite gals, Lauren and Megan.  We are going to see Ann Voskamp speak at a church, and I cannot wait.  If you haven't had a chance to read Ann's book, One Thousand Gifts, please go get it.  It will bless you immensely.  Ann's writing is so beautiful and touching and inspiring.

I have been waiting for this event like a kid waits for Christmas.  Amidst all the anticipation, I started thinking about how I connected with Lauren and Megan...our story of how we became friends, if you will.

And I just have to smile.

I smile because it was totally, 100% God.  There is NO way on this Earth, that we could have planned it.  Absolutely no way.

And that's the way it is with my closest circle of gal friends.  The gals that sent me cards when I had a miscarriage because they knew I was hurting.  The gals who would pray over me {no matter where we were} because they knew my heart was longing for a baby.  The gals who were my prayer warriors when I saw that tiny, faint pink line start to form on a pregnancy test.  The gals who brought me dinner when I was a mess with a newborn.  The gals who have celebrated every big {and little} milestone of being a mama with me.  The gals who loved me despite what they may have heard about me.

I love them from the very deepest part of my heart.  Thinking about how much I love makes get weepy.

Weepy for a number of reasons...weepy because they mean so much to me and weepy because I was so close to not having them in my life.

There is one single event in my life {apart from getting married and becoming a mama} that changed me for the better.

At the time, I thought it was one of the worst moments of my life.

But God had a different plan.  He made it one of the moments that I thank Him for every.single.day.

If it weren't for this event, this change that happened to me, I probably wouldn't be going to this event with Lauren and Megan.

I wouldn't call any of these women my best friends.

I know it sounds trivial, but God has a funny way of working things out.  He knows what you need when you think you have it all figured out.  I shake my head, almost in disbelief, but it's no time until I know He had His hand in it the whole time.

All that to say, never judge a person based on what someone else says.  You never know, God may slap you with a little bit of humility and make that person your best friend.

Trust me, I know from experience!

To these gals in my life {you know who you are} - I love you, all of you!  You picked me up when I was in some of the darkest places in my life, and for that, I thank you.  You are precious to me, don't you ever forget it.

Did God bring certain people in your life in "strange" ways?  Tell me about it!  And then, go tell that friend what a blessing they are to you!  I plan on doing that tonight, too!