Your People
“I want to know You, Lord
Like I know a friend”
One of my people… Bekah.
Life has been a complete rat race the past few months. Every time I got overwhelmed with it all I would remind myself of the sweet trip we would soon take. This is what I would say on repeat: “On December 30th you and the boys will be on a plane to see your people. You’ll sit with your friend, talk about Jesus, drink copious amounts of coffee, gaze at the mountains, and eat yummy food.”
That, my darlings, is precisely what we did. It was such a relaxing trip. The only time we “went somewhere” was going to the movies with all the kids. (Well, that and the grocery store) We mostly just hung out at the house. We learned a new card game: Nertz (it’s so much fun and so hard to stop playing!) Bekah and I baked and cooked and ate and ate and ate. **Be on the lookout on social media later this week for my cinnamon roll recipe!**
The Blankenships live on a beautiful farm nestled in the Appalachian mountains. We hiked their land and saw breathtaking views. Jayden got to watch Justin feed the cattle (they literally roll a bale of hay down a big hill... how fun is that?!). Jax and Matthew were always taking off for an adventure in the woods. Five of the six boys even spent a couple of days working on a fort in the woods that’s quite impressive!
All 4 Blankenship boys and my 2 boys at the fort they worked on during our trip.
Jayden helping feed the cattle.
But the thing I loved most about the trip was how we got to just “do life” with our friends. We didn’t need a bunch of elaborate plans. We didn’t need to fill our schedule with going to see “stuff.” You don’t need a bunch of plans when you’re with your people.
That’s exactly the point of a trip like this. We didn’t go to see stuff. We went to see people. We went to see our people.
So how can you tell you have people? When you don’t have to work to entertain each other, yet your face hurts from laughing so much. When you’re having meaningful conversation one minute, then loading their dishwasher the next. When you’re just as happy on a trip to the grocery store with your friend as you would be if y’all had gone to a fancy restaurant. Those are your people. The ones you’re just happy to be in the same space with.
“I don’t know what to do with my hands.” (Most of the candid photos were too cringe-worthy to post. I’m all for transparency… but part of me is attempting to preserve a little bit of dignity.)
When you’re with your people there’s no pressure to perform... and in the case of this trip: no pressure to get out of your pjs all day. We laughed at each other, at the boys, and mostly: ourselves. It was so very refreshing. And now we are headed home... with misty eyes, lighter hearts, and renewed spirits.
Whether your people are local or a long plane ride away... go be with them. I dare you to show up in their life. Show up without expectation. Show up without an agenda.
I love how Jesus does that with us. He shows up just to spend time with us. He shows up and takes the pressure off… no need to perform for Him. He shows up ready to unearth hidden things through meaningful conversation. It happens when our defenses are down. It happens when we are with a trusted friend. He wants to be intertwined in the familiar rhythm of our day; just like a close friend. I think that’s what I love most about spending time with my people... it feels a lot like visiting with Jesus.