Dear Lindsey

Linds, this blog post is for you :)

I am so giddy with excitement for you as you begin your next big adventure in Australia! Seriously, I am giddy. It has always been apparent to me that God destined you for extremely great things, things greater than even you could imagine. I know that Hillsong is just one of many many more great things to come. You are anointed, my dear friend. Through your obedience to the Father, you already have done great things in my life, and in the lives of others.

Lindsey, you are a shining example of faith and joy! You do not have a perfect life (no one does), things have gone wrong, and maybe you don't wake up with a smile every morning, but your love for the Lord is constantly apparent no matter the situation. You see His blessings and His hand in every instance, and in doing so, you've opened my eyes to those things when sometimes I don't feel like looking for them. Your faith in this entire process is simply beautiful, and even more beautiful is how the Lord has blessed you because of it. "Truly I tell you," Jesus said to them, "no one who has left home or wife or brother or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life." Luke 18:29-30.
Your commitment to purity is incredibly inspiring and encouraging and I can guarantee that your wedding will be one of the most beautiful things I even witness. Thank you for your openness and honesty and for the invitation to be open and honest in return. I will always remember tear-filled heart-to-hearts in the parking lot at GU, various bedrooms, and the occasional back yard. It has been so much fun being a teenage girl with you. I feel like everyone else has missed out on a vital part of life. You are also so silly, and I LOVE it! Thank you for introducing me to the JoBros and Taylor Swift :) I already miss your precious laugh, and seeing you find joy in unexpected things. It is so hard to be sad or angry around you for longer than a minute. I have no doubt that you will make life-long friends while in Australia, and that it won't take long for everyone to fall head-over-heels in love with you like so many of us in the States have.

It has been such a blessing to grow with you. I cannot describe how it felt to watch you worship at Gateway a few weeks ago. At one point I stopped singing, looked at you and just praised the Father because of what I was witnessing. It was beautiful. It wasn't a performance, but an intimate conversation with the ultimate lover of your soul. It was so evident that those were your words and music. "I cried out to him with my mouth; his praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and has heard my prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!" Psalm 66:17-20. I am excited to hear about how this grows and changes while at Hillsong, and I cannot wait to worship with you again when you're home!

Always always ALWAYS know how much you are loved, and the multitude of prayers being lifted up for you every single day. You are loved by the Lord and your are loved by your friends and family more than you can comprehend.

I wish you joy, growth, love, adventure, comfort, energy, strength, courage, and an ever-open heart for the Lord to do with what He wants. Lindsey, you are truly "living a life worthy of the calling you have received"!

"Such confidence we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant - not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills but the Spirit gives life." 2 Corinthians 3:4-6

I love you Linds!!!