Meaningful Conversation

(a November morning in our backyard, two years ago)

Just came in from dropping the boys off to school.

The grass is tipped in white.

Your breath floats visible in front of you out there.

And when I jumped out to walk the boys up to their teachers and ran back to the car, I felt like I'd been flash frozen.

It's cold.

I was running on Monday and thinking about a conversation I'd had with one of my dear, dear friends on Sunday night.  

I had sent her a message telling her how smokin she looks (she's gone through an incredible journey the past couple of years and lost a lot of weight), and it started an exchange that ended up going back and forth.

So then I said, "And here we are discussing only skin beauty here...I KNOW you've got a beautiful soul."

(And here's where I'm essentially going to give you the play by play leading up to the exclamation point of the conversation and where my mind's been since.)

She texted back and said, "You've got a smokin hot soul."

So then I responded and said, "There are parts that are ugly and stenchy and need the Savior for sure, but I guess that goes for all of us, right?"
"Absolutely.  We all do."

"Ya I guess that's the good thing."

"Yep. We're all in desperate need of His grace (loved that line).  I'm just thankful He offers it so freely."

I responded and said, "I want to understand that more.  How do I access it more freely?  How can I see the way He sees?  How do I really change the things that desperately need changing?

She said, "Yes, I wish I understood better too.  To me it involves staying humble and very close to Him.  It means asking for it with real intent, having firm faith that it will come.  I've been thinking about that a lot lately."

And then she said something that hit me so deeply.  I've been thinking about it ever since.  It needs to go up on my fridge.

"Do we truly know that is His mission and purpose, His work, and that He has every intention of getting us there?"

That question hasn't left me alone the past few days.  

Its truth seems to be ricocheting inside of me.  

My favorite part?

Do we believe that "...He has every intention of getting us there?"  

I'll be feasting on, and pondering this, for days.