12 - 3 - 1

i feel like alot of my conversations this past week have been about friendships. here's what's been in my heart...

first of all, Mark and i are so grateful for all the people that are a part of our life here in Brazil. we have friends that are 4 years old (her name is Mel, she is Jeff and Myuwa's daughter), we have friends at 6 (Joab, he is Joncilei and Karia's son. very shy kid who is just now starting to even look at me - so i flirt with him at every chance =); we have friends that are 14 & 15, kids that are not only part of the youth group, but part of our personal lifes (like Izaias). We also have friends that are our own age, young professionals trying to figure out what the heck they want from life, and we are anxious to walk thru this journey with them and help them dream big (like Fabiana and Bruno).

We are surrounded by wiser (not older, but wiser, right?) friends who are such a great counselors and pour love and truth into our lives (like the elders of the church).

we are blessed.

and within this multitude, there is closer group forming around us. it's the friends we have that are running the race at the same speed and in the same direction. there is a connection at a deeper level - the spirit level. Like Jesus and his 12. From a plethera, Jesus had 12 closer mates.

i don't know if i can point to 12 exactly, but it's close. these friends are more like partners.

we've had the imense blessing of hosting this group in our home several times in the past month. not all of us even live in Itu. there are 3 that live in other cities, but they travel to be together quite often. and when we are together, i am recharged.

last weekend was like this. we eat, we laugh, we watch The Office, we talk, we talk, we go deeper and we talk more, then we eat some brownies, worship together, serve together. and it's a beautiful thing.

Jesus also had the closer 3 within the 12. and it's true, even within this amazing group of closer friends, there are the few that we would adopt if we could (yeah, they are our age, but we are the only married couple =).

and within those few, there is my one: mark. every chance i get to talk to a girl friend about marriage, i encourage them to do what i did: marry the best person you have ever met. i just don't think it's fair that they don't realize i got the best person. the gift of having my best-of-best-friend with me every step of the way, to experience and venture thru life with is wowing.

and please know that so many of you have become a part of who we are today.

our story is full of friends and family that have loved us and walked the journey with us.

and the Lord operates thru you to transform me.

may He keep bringing friends into your lives and mine.

ali