choose to celebrate...

Well, it is officially March. which means we are DEFINITELY in the countdown to 30. OH MY GOODNESS. I don’t totally know what the next two weeks will look like from a heart perspective, but I plan to take a look back with gratitude and prayerfully look forward with hope and anticipation. This morning as I got ready I was pondering my twenties and thinking about how full of joy they have been, not just for me but for the people I have had the honor of doing life alongside. There is great joy in choosing to celebrate others rather than having your heart overtaken by jealousy. Jealousy is ugly and mean and a thief of all things good and wonderful in life. It makes you feel ugly on the inside and it sounds pretty ugly when people hear it spilling from your lips. It is a monster and it can swallow you whole. I am truly grateful that the Lord has given me the capacity to truly take joy in celebrating my friends and the amazing things that have happened in their lives throughout my twenties. I can say with ALL honesty that as I have cried tears of deep love and pure delight alongside friends that have fallen in love or felt their babies kick for the first time or even held those precious bundles in my arms, my heart has grown in tremendous ways and I wouldn’t change that for the world. I’ve gotten to witness wedding vows that took my breath away and been in the room for a baby’s first cry, I’ve stayed up in the middle of the night crying alongside a mama who thought she might lose her girl, and danced the night away in a bridesmaid dress, I’ve pre-gamed before bridal showers and post-gamed long after receptions were complete and every single one of those memories are priceless. Because of being single I’ve been able to be truly present for my friends - to share in their celebrations - to embody Romans 12:15 and “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” It hasn’t always been easy and I’ve had to pray the Lord would give me His heart, but He has faithfully reminded me of the gift I get to be because of being unattached. I don’t have the same sense of urgency to get home because no one is there waiting for me. My heartbeat is for my people - and my evenings and weekends are spent alongside them, living life to the fullest in their worlds, and truly I wouldn’t trade that. I am sure the day will come eventually when I will have a husband and family of my own and I will miss the days of getting to meet a friend for dinner, or galavanting with my Biola loves all Sunday afternoon. Right now time and space are mine to give away and I choose to pour them out generously, to be deeply invested and as present as possible for those I love. There is great joy in choosing to celebrate others. I have done just that - and as I embark on this next great decade, I don't think you'll see that stopping any time soon!