Some of that Jesus in you.

It's wicked hot right now in the dark living room of my brother and sister-in-law's house. [I think I will begin to call her just "sister" for it's easier and I like it better] I just moved in last night. I didn't sleep well, but hopefully tonight will be better, if I ever get to bed that is. It's late. And I just got done celebrating Miss Rori Jean's birthday. It was a surprise party, but like all surprise parties she ended up finding out that something was going on. I think the next time I try for a surprise party it's going to be a surprise for all the guests too. Invite them over all individually like it's just going to be us and then when they get there tell them it's a surprise party for someone else. That way it won't slip. So if I ever invite you over to fix the sink or something, you'll know.

Man it's hot. I'm sweating. I also just experienced the phenomenon of liquid coming out of my eyes due to one Rachel Prince. I just located her blog. I've been waiting to find it for quite some time and finally when I asker her about it last night she said, "It's somewhere in cyberspace." I lost it, laughing hysterically, which seems odd now that I type it but I guess that's just something that happens with really great friends. I miss her. Anyway, I found her blog. And read one of her posts. It was about our road trip which was a fantastic summary I might add. I miss her. She is the reason for the leakage of my eyeballs. The words she typed, about me, they humbled me. To a place of tears. And the funny thing is I would say most of the same things about her.

Justin Haight asked me this summer, "Who is your community?" and the first thing that popped into my head was Rachel Prince. Which seems odd, because she's one person. I'm not sure that can really be a community, one other person and little old me. But if I could create my utopian community, it would be Rachel multiplied. She listens to me. Really listens. And asks questions so she can understand further. So much so that sometimes I don't even get the chance to ask her a question about her life-I'm too busy answering her questions. She asks me hard questions too. And tells me the truth. During this past year when I doubted so often, she is one of the people that grounded me. She reminded me of truth when I needed it the most. She claims me as a friend despite my annoying habits, inability to be consistent, my consistency to be perpetually late and forgetful, my thousand questions, my wishy-washy thought processes and my ups and downs. And the crazy thing is that all those "despites" listed, I don't feel bad about them when I'm with her, because she loves me that much. She is beautiful. Her soul radiates warmth, and an intense and genuine pursuit to know your heart. She is silly and deep, wise and inquisitive. She is gorgeous, truly captivating. And she's my friend.

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

I wish I could take credit for penning these words. It seems that Paul understood what it was like to have a friend like Rachel Prince. Or perhaps we were both just able to see some of God's goodness, smeared all over our friends, and some of God's beautiful mess spilled into our lives because our friends let him move into their hearts. Yes, yes I think that is it.

I love you RP.
Please keep being my friend. I need some of that Jesus that lives in you.