Inspiration

Many people have come into my life and I have been blessed to be inspired by a lot of them in some form or fashion.  One such inspiration is my friend Amanda Joiner. 

Amanda and I met while working together about 6 years ago and as fate would have it we were assigned to share an office.  Her amazing sense of humor along with the fact that she knew the lyrics to the entire RENT soundtrack meant that we were destined to hit it off right away.  But even though I enjoyed our mid-day RENT duets (which sometimes included dance routines), I feel that God had a plan for bringing her into my life.

When Amanda and I first met, I was struggling with my faith.  It's not that I didn't believe, but more like I had a lot of questions that were unanswered.  Amanda is such a strong Christian woman with an unwavering faith and as I got to know her better, I began to feel more comfortable discussing my questions with her. And when the day came for her to get married and move away to Houston I was sad, but I knew she had done something great in my life.

As time moved on and I got married, my chats with Amanda in our office in many ways helped to shape the foundation for my marriage.  Not long after I got married, I learned that Amanda and Brian had been having trouble conceiving a child.  So when it was time for me to make the call to tell her we were expecting a baby, I really struggled trying to find the right words to say.  I was relieved when she sounded genuinely  happy for me and thanked me for telling her rather than trying to avoid the topic.

She and Brian continued to try everything they could to get pregnant and you can read all about their journey on Amanda's blog.  One thing you will learn about Amanda from her blog is that she is not one to hide her emotions.  She is very open and honest with her feelings which I think helps others struggling with the same issues to realize they are not alone.  While Amanda and Brian's journey was nothing short of an emotional roller coaster, the overall theme has always remained that they will continue to trust in God.  What an amazing inspiration for anyone struggling with anything in their life!

In August of 2012 Amanda announced that they were finally pregnant!  And just when you think it can't get any better, they find out they are having TWINS; a boy AND a girl!  This past weekend I attended a baby shower for Amanda (see photo below) and as I sat there watching her open presents (By the way she is a great present opener.  It takes skill to put so much care into opening each individual gift while staying excited the entire time.) I couldn't help but feel so in awe of God's amazing work. 

Photo credit to Allison Oliver

Amanda's story and strength are an inspiration to many.  But what is really an inspiration to me is to see that throughout it all her faith has remained as strong as it was 6 years ago when we shared an office together.  Congratulations Amanda!  I know I will continue to be inspired as I watch you skillfully raise two babies at the same time!!