This is Mel.

We met on the God Sized Dream team in January.

Somehow we also ended up in this little “Mastermind” group that was a spinoff of the larger GSD group. There are less than 12 of us in that group so we got to know each other pretty well over the last 9 months.

Then she joined my Hello Mornings Bible study group for a session and she is now co-leading with my other friend Kami this session!

God finds way to bring people together.

This past weekend at Allume we were also roomies and discovered that we are sisters at heart.

I love this woman.

She makes me laugh, she borrows my boots ;), she mails me my computer cord when I have left it in the hotel room.

She is a gift.

Except for the online community – we probably would have never crossed paths. It is all God.

She and her husband were missionaries in Indonesia for 5 years before they had their daughter. She has a passion for others, especially those in other countries. At Allume, Uganda grabbed a hold of her heart.

I will be honest – it stinks not having her closer.

Spending time with Mel and the other girls at Allume gave me a taste of what real community can look like. As much as I wanted to be at home with my family – I didn’t want to loose that connection, that girl time.

I don’t have that here at home and it can be lonely.

But just like my friendship with Karlena, I know that miles do not separate and with social media and Voxer (the greatest invention since sliced bread), it doesn’t feel like she is too far away!

While God impressed on my heart a spirit of giving this weekend He also gave me the greatest gift that I could have asked for.

Mel, you are such a gift to me. I am so grateful that we get to do life together.  I wish it could be over coffee and hot chocolate more often, but since that isn’t possible right now I just praise God for the technology that makes the distance a little more bearable.

I adore you friend. YOU are a gift!