Are you my friend?

I remember laying in bed waiting for my parents to come and say goodnight prayers with me. I was a little blonde girl who knew she had all the support in the world. My protecting and loving father without fail would take my glasses off my face every night. My caring mother would make sure there was a glass of water on my bedside table. I never forgot to pray for one thing, the thing i wanted most as a girl...friends.

I sure did have them though, but i never had a friend who desired to pour into me as much as i did into them. And it seemed very far fetched, but something not too much to ask for. Growing up that never became less of a desire than it always was. God seemed to have called me to be everyones counselor. I was always the friend people came to when all there temporary friends flaked on them. I was the one they came to when life got real tough. I loved that, i really did, but who was the friend i could go to when things got tough? I wouldn't be as experienced as i am now if my life hadn't been that way. I want to be a counselor, that desire is so strong within me. I am so grateful for that. But everyone needs a best friend no matter who you are.

God gave me one of those gold nuggets that you never let go of. He spoke to me, although it wasn't easy to receive or live out the way i had to, I knew it was my ticket for an amazing group of friends. You know that group of friends that hang out every saturday night? That pack of kids that create all their memories with? I wanted that. He spoke...."Be the friend you need Leah, and i will bless you" That was my freshman year of High school. I recently realized God had blessed me.

Ive always felt blessed all my life but i recently had one of those moments where i felt God's favor on my life abundantly. Overwhelming feeling ill never forget.

I turned 21 a week ago. A few weeks before i realized if i wanted one of those birthday party things i had to start planning. I have had some good parties but i have never attempted to get ALL my friends in the same place for my glory...haha So selfish! But this year i gave it a go! Risky! These birthday Party things never turn out well right?!

Lets cut to the chase, I was sitting at Oba Restaurant in Portland, OR sitting at the head of the table....I looked down at 22 people. 22 people (although there amazing people in Canada and busy that couldnt make it)! And im talking friends....no old people (haha), all my friends. And thats when the moment happened, I was so overwhelmed, you could not have gotten me to frown that night. Most every person old and new has had a close bond with me. Some have gone through everything with me and some have taken part in a God blessed ministry with me. I realized in that moment that God had answered my prayers, i about shed a few tears in that moment! But I couldn't through all the laughing and story sharing.

The next best thing was that everyone was having a blast! old and new friends were meeting each other and everything was blending so well, it made me so grateful that God had put me through the ringer to make my life transparent. If you got to know all those people sitting at that table you would have a pretty good idea for the person I have come to be.

I have never felt so loved and blessed in my life as I do today.

Ill go ahead and say and be proud, in that moment my obedience to the Lord had been rewarded and in that group of people God beauty was revealed a bit more to me. Wow, I am so in love with the God i serve.

A birthday I will NEVER forget.