037: BriZ

March 24, 2010
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, Proverbs 27:5,6,9,10,17

In Morocco, almost four years ago, I was assigned to work in a hospitality house with a young woman from Colorado. God must have poured His grace over us and our friendship, because Bri and I became fast, best friends. We lived together, worked together, traveled together, ate together, and exercised together. At least 23 out of every 24 hours we were together, and we walked away from the summer on the Mediterranean with a cemented friendship.

Our friendship has now spanned three continents, multiple countries, several states, and many seasons of life.

As I look back at the scope of the last four years, I can see how God has used Bri to refine me in so many ways. Although we are similar in a lot of areas – we both love coffee, traveling, North Africa, Jesus, people, music, etc – we are also very different. Bri’s primary love languages are gifts and physical touch, and mine are words of affirmation and quality time (followed closely by physical touch). Learning how to communicate and express my love for Bri to her over the last couple years has helped me expand my connection-ability. Bri is also a planner, and I’m totally last minute about everything. She’s very disciplined and responsible, while I’m a bit, uh, less so!

Sometimes I’m surprised that we are as good of friends as we are, but then I look at our friendship and it is just so obvious to me that God orchestrated it for the purpose of teaching each other SO much.

Today I flew to Colorado to be Bri’s Maid of Honor in her wedding this weekend. We drove over to her fiance’s house to pick him up after we dropped all the other bridesmaids off at Bri’s apartment, and I’m always amazed at how well Bri can read me under the surface. I thought I had been doing a good job of keeping some of my emotions in check, but of course, Bri knew something was going on at a deeper level.

There are very few people that I feel comfortable crying in front of, but Bri is one of them. Since she’s been living in Colorado for the last six months or so, I hadn’t realized how much I missed having the accountability of having someone be able to call me out on my masks. And the thing I love so much about Bri is that she loves from the most genuine heart. Even when I’m turning into a blubbering mess in the front seat of her parked car, she can still look at me with eyes of love, accepting me for who I am. Being loved in such a fashion is overwhelming sometimes. It’s scary to be so known by someone, and know they have the ability to hurt you so deeply, and yet I’m drawn to that intimate relationship at the same time, because I DO want to be known for who I really am.

This life is such a delicate balance – a dance of sorts – back and forth between intimacy and hiding. When I realize that I’m participating in this crazy dance, I can’t wait for heaven. I truly believe heaven will be all about relationships like the one I have with Bri, yet without the presence sin. How long, oh my God, until we can be known and fully know in Your presence? I long for it!