Different.

I've always been a little bit different. Let me explain, in high school and college I was never in the "cool crowd". I don't like a lot trendy things. My childhood is different than most. My dreams for our life are just a little bit contrary to what most people want for their lives. I'm just a little bit different.

One of the biggest compliments I ever received was from one of my high school teachers- 2 years after I graduated. I went to visit her and to catch up. She told me that I was always a little different from everyone else and that it was evident that I didn't care. It made me laugh then, but now I hold it as one of the greatest compliments that I've ever received.

I can't say that her comment was always true. There was a time when I didn't necessarily like being different. But, the summer after my freshman year, I worked at a summer camp in the mountains and met my best friend. She is the person who taught me that its okay to be different. She is the most Godly, encouraging woman I've ever met. She is very different than most, and marches to the beat of her own drum...which I admire so much about her. She's one of the only people I know that is real and doesn't do anything to impress anyone. She has always stretched me outside of my comfort zone and really taught me that there is freedom in being who God made me to be. I'm eternally thankful for that and for her.

Because of her, I'm happy to be me and have peace knowing that its okay to be different. It's okay when I don't fit in with certain people. It's okay to not have the new trend. It's okay to be who I want to be.

This is one of my favorite pictures of us.