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There Were Never Such Devoted Sisters...


These are my sisters.  No words can being to encapsulate how much these two mean to me.   I cannot believe how much I love them.  It takes my breath away seeing them succeed and grow and change and be who God has called them to be.  I hate to group them together, because they are extremely unique.  However, what I want to highlight is the bond that only my sisters have with me. 

My sisters know me best.  They know what makes me happy, they know what buttons to push to make me mad, they know my past better than anyone.  They have been there for it all.  They can tell stories of childhood through now.  Turning into adults is never easy, as we all revert back to our dynamics as children.  For example, If I was the bully when I was 5 (which I was not), I would continue to fill that role, because I have literally never known any other role to fill in a family dynamic.  We all fall into roles we hate falling into, yet we find ourselves playing the same part every time the family gets together.

Fighting this urge has proven to stretch me and family in exhaustible measures.  Many tears and long nights have brought us to where we finally are – in a place where we can be proud of the family we are a part of.  To clarify, I have always been proud – as have the rest of my siblings.  Our parents have led an example of self-sacrifice and love for us and each other.  We grew up in the ideal way.  In a home with open doors that taught us to live selflessly and only worry about what matters.

These two girls are a huge part of my heart.  They make me laugh and smile and make me more proud then I knew was imaginable.  I jump at every chance I have to talk about my incredible sisters.  I hope they know how much of a difference they have made in my life.  Seeing them succeed makes me feel like I have succeeded.  All I ever wanted was to be an example they could be proud of.  I wanted to lead them in the right ways, and while I failed early in my adult life, I aim to never fall short again.  I am accountable to many around me to ensure that happens.

Being an older sibling is something people do not take seriously enough.  Often times they leave their younger siblings out to dry, however in my mind, they are watching everything I do and as my mom used to say “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery”.  My prayer is that I will be someone worthy of imitation.  I pray that the men they end up with, the adventures they go on, and their day to lives always reflect Christ – and if living that way myself encourages it in them, I will do so forever. 

Faith and Joy – I love you.  I am so proud of you.  You are more than enough and you deserve it all.  Remember that “it all” is not wealth and popularity, but rather love and sincerity.  Never stop pursuing your dreams, but make sure your dreams line up with God’s word.  Always give more than you have and leave your doors open, because in generosity lies peace knowing that you did all you could. 
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