Hey Beth. Sorry it's been so long! I know, I know...after that trip to Boone to visit you in '07, I kinda became a stranger, didn't I? Well, don't think I haven't been thinking about ya! I am so excited to see you tonight, and to introduce you to my new friend, Teri. Well, by "new" I mean relative to me and you. Teri and I met about 2 years ago, but you and I, well gosh, I guess it's been over a decade! I was thinking back to the first time we met, I did the tabernacle study with a few women from my church....you had big ol' hair and I was just a wide-eyed newlywed, trying to make heads or tails of the real world. I'd never been involved in such an intense Bible study, and though I didn't think I'd make it through, your encouragement helped me persevere. Now, many years and many studies later, you have imparted your knowledge and love for God's Word in my heart like no one else. I'm so thankful we met during those formative years; I'm certain your influence helped shape my faith walk. Like the time you told me "Forgiveness wouldn't make "it" okay, forgiveness would make me okay," I really had to chew on that one, and before too long, I saw things God's way and let go. And then there was the day David moved to NC without me and the kids. I was doing the Believing God study, and you used God's word to show me how the "middle" is often the hardest part, and since we were right in the middle of the biggest faith step we'd ever taken, I needed that encouragement more than ever. You helped me find the strength to tread on to the other side, and you were so right! If I hadn't had the faith to keep going, I'd have missed the tremendous blessings on the other side.

So back to tonight...Beth, I know everyone's faith journey is different, and Teri has to walk her own path. To her, you may just be an acquaintance, a friend of a friend, I guess only time will tell. But Beth, if I don't get a chance to tell you later, thanks for being the kind of friend who can speak God's truth to me in such a way that pierces me, challenges me, encourages me and spurs me on to know Him more. And thanks for being the kind of friend who is always ready and willing to make a new friend, I think you and Teri will really hit it off!

See you in a few hours!

Your Friend,
Erin