Looking back now, I have to admit that August 13th, 1986 was one of the best days of my life. Being only a few months past my first birthday, I had no idea at that this day would be important to me. It wasn't my birthday and Christmas was another 4 months away! What did I have to be excited about?! God knew though! Four years from then, I was going to have twin brothers to whom I would grow very close. Even so, God knew I could never share their bond so He created someone especially for me. I didn't realize it at the time, but August 13th, 1986 was when God decided to send my "built in best friend" into this world. On that day, my younger cousin Jessica Lynn was born.
As children, we did EVERYTHING together. Every weekend we concocted some convincing argument as to why I needed to spend my Friday and Saturday nights at Jessica's house. Every softball season, we passed ball, took swings, and played endless tournaments, sunburnt and sweaty, on the same roster. We made sure we shared bunks and late night stories at church camp once we were old enough to go. Many of our summer days were spent backyard camping, playing outside, and performing MTV worthy renditions of Brandy & Monica's song "The Boy Is Mine" in Jessica's basement. We had matching outfits, matching toys, matching hobbies...we were inseparable.
Throughout our teenage and now adult years, we have remained inseparable. We were there to take up for each other during High School spats. She was the first person I called when I experienced my first kiss, first date, and first broken heart. My morning commute to Jefferson County High School included a detour by her house which resulted in many tardies. After college, we talked each other through job decisions and grown up drama. She was the first person I told once I knew my now husband was "the one" and she stood beside me as my Maid of Honor the day I married him. She is one of few people who have seen me at worst and best. She knows me inside and out and loves me despite my many flaws!
Jessica and I share a bond deeper than most cousins. Partly because I believe God created her to be my best friend and vice versa, but mostly because of all the things that we have experienced together in this life. We've cried together, laughed together, played together, and fought together. She's been there through my disappointments and I've comforted her in sadness. We've shared punishments, victories, milestones, first loves, new beginnings, painful endings, and everything in between. Through all of this, our hearts have grown together and we have become familiar with the deepest parts of each other. More than that, our relationship has become a reflection of the type of relationship God desires me to share with Him. He has used Jessica as a human reflection of His love for me.
As children, we did EVERYTHING together. Every weekend we concocted some convincing argument as to why I needed to spend my Friday and Saturday nights at Jessica's house. Every softball season, we passed ball, took swings, and played endless tournaments, sunburnt and sweaty, on the same roster. We made sure we shared bunks and late night stories at church camp once we were old enough to go. Many of our summer days were spent backyard camping, playing outside, and performing MTV worthy renditions of Brandy & Monica's song "The Boy Is Mine" in Jessica's basement. We had matching outfits, matching toys, matching hobbies...we were inseparable.
Throughout our teenage and now adult years, we have remained inseparable. We were there to take up for each other during High School spats. She was the first person I called when I experienced my first kiss, first date, and first broken heart. My morning commute to Jefferson County High School included a detour by her house which resulted in many tardies. After college, we talked each other through job decisions and grown up drama. She was the first person I told once I knew my now husband was "the one" and she stood beside me as my Maid of Honor the day I married him. She is one of few people who have seen me at worst and best. She knows me inside and out and loves me despite my many flaws!
Jessica and I share a bond deeper than most cousins. Partly because I believe God created her to be my best friend and vice versa, but mostly because of all the things that we have experienced together in this life. We've cried together, laughed together, played together, and fought together. She's been there through my disappointments and I've comforted her in sadness. We've shared punishments, victories, milestones, first loves, new beginnings, painful endings, and everything in between. Through all of this, our hearts have grown together and we have become familiar with the deepest parts of each other. More than that, our relationship has become a reflection of the type of relationship God desires me to share with Him. He has used Jessica as a human reflection of His love for me.
When I look at my "built in best friend", I can't help but wonder how someone could be so close to me but still love me so much. In the same instance, I'm reminded of the amazing truth that God knows and loves me much, much deeper than even my very best friend can! Jessica loves me as unconditionally as a human can love. There have been many times where I've made her mad, forgotten something I've promised, said something she didn't want to hear, or done something to let her down. She loves me anyway and would do anything for me despite my shortcomings... and she's human! God is not.
Imagine, if my human best friend loves me that much, how much more God loves me?! And you! You can't! Take a minute to think about the person in your life who loves you with that same unconditional love. Think about all the ways they express that love to you. Think about how treasured their love and support is in your life. Now imagine a love that is millions, even trillions of times more intense than that; so powerful and unconditional that we as humans can't even begin to comprehend it. The difference between Jessica's love for me and God's love for me is that God's love has no limitations. Human love, human friendship are conditional, limited... God's love and friendship are not!
Lucky for us, God's love is different! Throughout the Bible, you can find numerous examples of how amazing God's love is for us. John 3:16, Jeremiah 31:3, 1 John 4:10, Psalm 103:11... these verses are just a few of the places where you can catch a glimpse of God's love for you and I. One of my favorite passages in the Bible reflects that unmovable, unshakable love that God has for us. In his letter to the Roman church, Paul says in Romans 8:37-39, "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation , will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Wow! NOTHING...and I mean NOTHING can separate you and I from the love that God has for us! He wants to share with us that same bond that Jessica and I share; that you share with your own "built in best friend." Jesus wants to be your homeboy! Through those hard times in life... your parents divorce, your first broken heart, losing a loved one...Jesus wants to comfort you. Through the most joyful occasions... making the softball team, graduating college, your wedding day... Jesus wants to celebrate with you. Through the ups and downs, the victories and defeats, the sunshine and the rain... Jesus wants to be your refuge, your confidant, your cheerleader, your umbrella, your source of wisdom, your shoulder to cry on, your high five, your "built in best friend", your homeboy!
Just like a best friend, He is right beside you through it all. He wants to be there to support us and, if we let Him, He can provide more love and encouragement than any human relationship can begin to create. Throughout the peaks and valleys of life, I will always have by "built in best friend" Jessica to show me unconditional love. More than that though, I will also always have the divine, unfathomable love that God has for me. Scripture will define it for you, your preacher can verbalize it to you, brothers and sisters in Christ can try to explain it to you... but until you turn to God in the same way you do your best friend, you will miss out on experiencing the amazing relationship God has in store for you and the overflowing love that goes along with that! Don't look at God as a far-off, unreachable spirit who sits high above us and is too busy making thunder and directing the angels to be with you. Reach out to Him just like you do your very best friend! Share your joys and sorrows, laughter and tears. Talk to Him daily about even the smallest things. Develop such a strong relationship with Christ that when you recall the most important memories of your life, He shows up in every one of them. God wants to be our most treasured "built in best friend." LET HIM!
Love in Christ,
Cori
Imagine, if my human best friend loves me that much, how much more God loves me?! And you! You can't! Take a minute to think about the person in your life who loves you with that same unconditional love. Think about all the ways they express that love to you. Think about how treasured their love and support is in your life. Now imagine a love that is millions, even trillions of times more intense than that; so powerful and unconditional that we as humans can't even begin to comprehend it. The difference between Jessica's love for me and God's love for me is that God's love has no limitations. Human love, human friendship are conditional, limited... God's love and friendship are not!
Lucky for us, God's love is different! Throughout the Bible, you can find numerous examples of how amazing God's love is for us. John 3:16, Jeremiah 31:3, 1 John 4:10, Psalm 103:11... these verses are just a few of the places where you can catch a glimpse of God's love for you and I. One of my favorite passages in the Bible reflects that unmovable, unshakable love that God has for us. In his letter to the Roman church, Paul says in Romans 8:37-39, "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation , will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Wow! NOTHING...and I mean NOTHING can separate you and I from the love that God has for us! He wants to share with us that same bond that Jessica and I share; that you share with your own "built in best friend." Jesus wants to be your homeboy! Through those hard times in life... your parents divorce, your first broken heart, losing a loved one...Jesus wants to comfort you. Through the most joyful occasions... making the softball team, graduating college, your wedding day... Jesus wants to celebrate with you. Through the ups and downs, the victories and defeats, the sunshine and the rain... Jesus wants to be your refuge, your confidant, your cheerleader, your umbrella, your source of wisdom, your shoulder to cry on, your high five, your "built in best friend", your homeboy!
Just like a best friend, He is right beside you through it all. He wants to be there to support us and, if we let Him, He can provide more love and encouragement than any human relationship can begin to create. Throughout the peaks and valleys of life, I will always have by "built in best friend" Jessica to show me unconditional love. More than that though, I will also always have the divine, unfathomable love that God has for me. Scripture will define it for you, your preacher can verbalize it to you, brothers and sisters in Christ can try to explain it to you... but until you turn to God in the same way you do your best friend, you will miss out on experiencing the amazing relationship God has in store for you and the overflowing love that goes along with that! Don't look at God as a far-off, unreachable spirit who sits high above us and is too busy making thunder and directing the angels to be with you. Reach out to Him just like you do your very best friend! Share your joys and sorrows, laughter and tears. Talk to Him daily about even the smallest things. Develop such a strong relationship with Christ that when you recall the most important memories of your life, He shows up in every one of them. God wants to be our most treasured "built in best friend." LET HIM!
Love in Christ,
Cori