In high school I had this bible study, life group kind of thing. It was a group of what either already was, or grew to become (through our regular meetings) my closest friends. We went to school together, ran track together, and, most importantly, developed our faith together. It was amazing. We called ourselves “God’s Girl Gang.” I know it sounds like a funny name, but this group is no joke! We are a serious. gang. Blood brothers (sisters), man. Like, we’d die for each other.
ANYWAY. So we went to college and were no longer able to meet on a regular basis anymore. Since Joanne is an international student from Korea, it had actually been a whopping seven months since our last meeting as a complete group! It was tough to part with this team. But finally, after months on months of missing my girls, Christmas break rolled around and we were able to meet together today! It was amazing.
Per Anneka’s suggestion, we met at this cute little coffee place in Long Beach. (It’s called Steelhead Coffee and I highly recommend checking it out!) Not only was it lovely on the inside, with bright natural lighting, hanging plants, and copper-wire string lights, but it also featured some really trendy wall murals in the parking lot next to it. Which means we have pictures to show for how amazing our reunion was! Some of these are duplicates from an instagram post you might have seen, but I think they’re so great they deserve to get posted on two platforms : )
Pictures aside though, it was really, r really amazing to get together with all of my girls again. I wrote this note that was originally going to be an Instagram caption, but as usual, I realized it was far too long to share on casual social media. Do enjoy:
3 John: “I have much to write you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink. I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.”
I can really empathize with the words of 3 John 13-14. Although we don’t (usually) write letters with pen and ink since we have the modern luxury of iMessage, I still understand the emotional struggle of maintaining friendships over great distances. I have actually had physical pain in my chest in some moments of deeply, deeply missing the in-person fellowship I used to have daily with my friends.
Thankfully today, I no longer had to “hope” to see my friends soon, as 3 John says. Because today was the day I could finally see the girls of my old bible study face to face! Thank God for blessed opportunities like this! #reunited.
I had soooo. much. JOY. to be seeing these humans again! All afternoon I couldn’t stop smiling simply because it was such a refreshing, restoring feeling to be surrounded by them again. Forever grateful for these girls, both when far, and (thankfully, for days like this!) near.
And although I am grateful to have been in a pretty coffeehouse with aesthetic murals out back to complement and photo-document their stylish ‘fits, I honestly could have been content anywhere. Because just being with them was enough.
Anywhere with them is enough.
Much love for my girls,
-Marian.
The More the Marianer 