Monday's Meet: Emily

Do you ever look back on a time in your life and suddenly realize how significant a single person was? For me, that is Emily. Don't get me wrong, there is no doubt that she was an important person in my life at the time, it just wasn't until much later that I understood how deep that importance really went.

There is a very good possibility that if my friend Emily is reading this post that she will eventually fuss at me for my choice in photos. Who cares? I can take it. The reason I chose it is because it adequately describes her jovial personality. Things that any other person would consider average she finds exciting, fascinating, or hilarious. She certainly taught me how to not take myself too seriously. Her influence in my life is obvious in surface things such as my choice in music and silly little phrases. Emily has an open heart and mind to be constantly learning new things. She can't be categorized. Her heart for worship surpasses her incredible musical talent. In our little group of friends, I would consider her the leader of the pack. Its easy for us to always pick up where we left off. On the not surface level she showed me practically what grace looks like in the everyday. Very few people know as many details of my past and extend grace and friendship anyway. Most have shunned. Not Emily. There is no doubt that she has probably had to come to my defense a few times, and I'm more than grateful than words can express that she did. In the few years that we were close, there were a lot of things I was working through. She showed incredible patience in letting me do so even if it was taking time. What I appreciate more than anything though was her willingness to have the tough conversations. When she saw sin in my life, like a sister in Christ should, she confronted it. She didn't run and talk to others about it. She didn't ignore it. She admonished like scripture calls us to do. Those conversations gave me the accountability I needed in order to grow. There is no telling where I would be without that.