The City of Sisterly Love

Valentines Day 11'

I have now been in Philadelphia for a year and 5 months. I left a sunny west coast for the industrial east. I was scared but I needed a change in my life. Hey, and I survived! I can't tell you how many people told me I was going to get mugged in Philadelphia...I even ran up the "Rocky Steps". Almost threw up when I got to the top...there is a lot of steps...

But here I am enjoying a life I could have never seen coming. It's as if God planned it himself ;) Besides being only 40 minutes from my incredible family and living two blocks from my brothers beautiful girlfriend I am surrounded by a community of love. 

What I felt I was lacking in California was a community of strong Christian women. I had that when I was in college but once I graduated every thing changed. 

What has been collected on this side of Philadelphia is a group of lovely ladies in my life. We all fell into each others lives mostly by chance. Some of us knew each other from before, whether it be college, work, or other churches. But about a year ago we all came together for dinner and have been together since, (four of which I live with now). Marking valentines day as this mile stone all of us went out to eat this year and enjoyed the day of love with each other. 

This week in particular has been an encouraging one and for no special reason at all; which I totally love. Spontaneous moments of joy. My favorite. 

Its been a week of working, sleeping, running, and hanging with friends. It started off with Monday night hanging out with the gals from my home group, (Bible Study in sorts...), and it was girl time to its fullest. We held conversations that no guy could have ever been a part of and it was glorious.

The rest of the week was simple and easy. It went from being in prayer with the ladies on Tuesday night, to going to Jazz with my two closest girlfriends on Thursday night, then meeting them for lunch on Friday, to ending with eating dinner with three very special women in my life on Friday night. 

Its now Saturday morning and I feel blessed, valued, and loved by God. Don't get me wrong I have also felt these things during the hard times which I have had my fair share of this year. So the other end of the spectrum is feeling blessed. I have discovered this from personal experience. 

So, to you my lovely lady friends, thank you for being amazing and a light into my life this week. 

1 Peter 3:3-4
“Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty that depends on fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should be known for the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.” (NLT)