my best friend.

my friend brett and i had an intense talk which led me to realize how incredible my best friend really is. sometimes when we are living in sin, things become so comfortable, and this can blind us. this might be bold, but i think it is a sin to live in community and not call each other out in our shit. just the other night brett called me out in my controlling behavior. the knot in my stomach rose to my throat, and once again it felt like a lump the size of a clementine. hearing the truth hurt so bad, but there was so much freedom in facing this truth and asking for help. redemption. grace.

what does any of this have to do with my best friend, carissa? you see, carissa isn't a "christian" according to the church's standards; she does lots of things that i would consider "tangible" sin. she might fill out the christian bubble under the religion section on the sats or go to church on easter, but according to what the bible refers to as the world, well, that's carissa. but here's the kicker (what's a kicker, and why do i say/type that?) carissa is the one who says to me, "emily quit judging her. quit being jealous. quit being selfish." she calls me out. she wants to see me grow. she wants to make me a better person. she loves me, with out conditions. how is it that the one who would be considered the orphan, the prostitute, the homeless (carissa) really has it so right where as me, well, i just have it wrong. doesn't this seem so odd? the self-proclaimed christian, me, doesn't know how to love and she does. wow, i really have a lot to learn from her. thank you God, for carissa.