I'll Cherish These Forever

"This is my command-Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord, your God is with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9

Jeff, this one is going to be dedicated to you. This way you'll quit bugging me about it. :P In honor of the year-ish that we have gotten to know each other, I'm going to write about the adventures we've had. 

There are those people in your life, that you wonder how you lived before you met them. There are people that God put in our lives, so that we could be inspired to be the best person we can be everyday. So, Jeff here's to you.

I've met a lot of those people in my life, and I'm grateful for every second that I've been able to spend with them, and they are people that I'll never forget. 

If I could, I'd talk about all the people that have changed my life. But, I'm pretty sure you'd be here reading this for a number of hours. So, since Jeff is leaving to go start his new life with his AMAZING Fiancée Melody, I'll just talk about the impact and change that he's made on my life. 

Last Summer, Ashleigh and I had many, MANY conversations on the topic of religion, because up until then, God wasn't in my life. But, Instead of telling me how screwed up I'd be without God in my life, she invited me to their Church Lock-In. It would be centered on God, but I wouldn't feel the pressure of an actual Church environment. I decided to go. I can't even begin to tell you how glad I am that I went. It's where I met Jeff, and in the beginning, I think I weirded him out. :)

We had a great time bowling, and I even managed to beat him. I don't think that he was very happy about it though. We went back to the church and we had pizza, watched a movie, played sardines, and then we had a devotional. 

When Jeff said that we were going to have a devotional, I froze. I knew nothing about the bible, and nothing about Jesus. I've never had a problem being the smart one in a class, but sitting in that pew listen to all of them talk I felt extremely out of place. I had no idea what they were talking about, and I couldn't keep the conversation straight. I became lost in this...'fog' if you will about how much I actually needed to know this stuff. It was from that point that I knew I needed Christ in my life. 

Even with everything that I went through as a kid, no one told me that there was a savior out there who wanted to take all my pain, and keep me from collapsing from the weight of everything that I had to carry. No one told me that there was a God who loved me so much that he would send his son to die on the cross, just so I could spend eternity with him up in heaven.

That lock-in changed my life. I know that God was working up there that day. I've met many great, amazing people, and they are people that I hold very near and dear to my heart. Jeff, you're one of those people. 

We've had our own set of adventures, ranging from the Scary Mold in your fridge, the hole in the wall, the pie in my face, and who could forget Rake 'n' Run? And who could possibly forget Fernando, Statewide, and CIY? Those are memories that I won't forget, and I've come to grow quite attached to you. I'm really going to miss you.

Life will move on, with or without us. We can try and fight it as hard as we can, but in the end life wins. I'm so blessed to have been able to met Jeff, and Melody and I know that I will miss them as much as they miss me, but I know that they are just starting a new chapter in their own lives. 

So, as sad as I am, I'm so thrilled that they get to start another chapter in their lives, but together as a married couple. I know that I'll see them soon enough, and they just won't disappear on me. 

God put them in my life for a reason, and getting to know Jeff, I can't help but feel blessed at the opportunity to see him begin this new chapter of his life, with an amazing person as his soon-to-be wife.

I, personally, can't wait to see what God has planned for their lives. 

So, Jeff here's to you. And all the crazy things that we've done, and to the memories that will never fade. I'll miss you greatly, but I know that you'll make an impact on the people that you meet down there, and I know you'll have plenty of adventures living this new chapter in your life. I'm really going to miss you, and thanks for all the great memories, I'll cherish them forever.