The Keys to Love is- Friendship

I have been thinking about what love means to love. I've talked about that in a recent blog post. Unconditional love is something that not everyone knows how to give or receive. It's a mutual exchange. Sometimes we fall short of others' expectations, and ultimately, we are human. My friends showed up in ways that weren't always gentle but truthful and full of love.

Love is compassionate and full. It often comes in packages we call friends.

God knew I would feel alone in certain seasons and sent some incredible people to weather the storms beside me. It is not always equal, but we show up when and now we can. They have taught me the value of love is being present and not just correcting what is wrong. I value the times I get to learn and grow with them and the impact that it has on our life together. A friend does not take advantage of the relationship but shows up actively for each other. My friends have set the standard for ALL my relationships. The moment God started removing half-baked and over-baked friendships from my circle, I was left with what I know now as the strongest pillars of my life. They have shown me compassion, strength, and weaknesses in a way that my family could not. They stand in the gap and exhibit a love I choose to be a part of. I am not too much or too little for them, but we complement each other perfectly. The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb. Because love is fluid, like water, it will flow wherever there is an opening. Family may be the first place you discover love, but friends expand it to new heights.

This was taken over 10+ years ago and was the first picture I took with my long-term best friend.

This is Shay, also known as my sister in Christ. We've been friends for 7+ years.

This is Christian, Jaxon, and Kody. We have been friends for 5+ years now.