Brokenness

My precious friend is broken.  So broken.  So broken in fact that she is picking up her leiblings and traveling all the way across the united states to stay with me for a while.  Life has a way of knocking the wind out of us.  Sometimes not just knocking the wind out of us but nearly smothering us in the process.
She does not feel amazing.  Man I know that feeling.  Today was the ugly cry face day.  Broken.  So broken she does not think she is fixable.  Oh my how different it looks from my point of view.  She is one of the strongest women I know.  She too walked through the valley of the shadow of death.  She too hiked out without her husband. Hers was an especially brutal journey.  Cancer can be soooo ugly.  I was lucky.   But, she lived to tell about it.  She has found happy places in this dark journey.  She marked the road for me when I was sure I would not survive.  She watched me cry my ugly face.  She listened to countless phone calls when I could not speak, all she heard were the all familiar sobs.  Countless texts when all I could say is "are you out there?".  She knew that was the code for "I'm doing terrible, are you there for me?" She told me I would be ok even when I was sure I would not.  Even when I did not want to live.
I have never met anyone who could stare down the devil like she can.  There were dragons to slay and she took up her sword and said "bring it on".  She did it with a fierceness I have never seen and I found so inspiring.  She is just a baby.  29.
Today she does not feel amazing!  I get that.  However, I know who she really is.  Today sweet friend you cannot see all that God has done.  Today you cannot see how amazing you are but I can. Today all you see is pain and failure and shortcomings but I see.  I see who you are.  You are a dragon slayer.  You may be wounded but you are not out.  God is not done writing your story and we are here.   Borrow my belief in you and the God we serve.  This brokenness is a blessed thing.  He longs to gather you under His wings and He will.  He did not leave you before and He won't do it now.  Rest in that you amazing girl!  Rest!