a hopeful kind of sad

Tonight I just felt the need to re-receive the encouragement and love of friends. These are from various cards I have received over the past several months.

 July 2012: "Remember that the Lord knows exactly what you need and desire. He is everything you need; and He will provide. Continue to ask Him what He finds important in a man. This is a messy yet beautiful process. Tonight I am praying for the man you will someday marry. And you can trust that I will faithfully continue to do so. Pursue our papa with all you have and watch as your heart continues to soften and heal. I pray and bless you to receive the extravagant love He has for you."

June 2012: "I am so glad that our friendship has been growing and forming over the past couple years. You are an incredibly strong and loyal and dependable woman who I consider a great friend. You have so much wisdom bottled up inside of you, I feel like I learn new things almost every conversation we have. I love you dearly."

March 2012: "I am so proud of you! You have grown so much over the last couple years. You are continually wiser, softer, more gracious, loving and healthy. I hate that you're having to deal w/such heavy burdens right now. It's now fair & it's not right & you don't deserve it. I know this pain is the work of the enemy & result of the Fall. The only blessing I see in the situation is you. You are strong. You know the Lord & you are choosing to live a different story. You won't continue the patterns of your family & even on the hardest of days when you feel most broken - even still - you will be a light."

January 2012: "Girlfriend, we have fought for our friendship! And I am so glad. The more I get to know you, the more I love you. You are certainly a woman of great strength and virtue.  You have amazing wisdom & I feel like God is able to speak purely through you. I love this season of growth that you are in and that you are taking your friends right alongside you. You are a beautiful and courageous woman & I am blessed to call you friend!"