A Season for Everything...

     I got some wonderful news, and some very sad news from some very close friends this week. 

     Travis and Jaime Riggs are like family to me.  Jennifer and I first met them almost six years ago, at Highview Baptist Church.  We hit it off just about immediately, and after we had been friends for a while Jenn and I both expressed to each other that we had somehow known we were going to be great friends with Travis and Jaime.  That proved to be the case.  Through our ABF, soul group, and just time spent together as couples our friendship grew and deepened.  In Jaime, Jennifer found a sister she had never really had, a best girlfriend with whom she could share anything.  In Travis, I found a strong brother in Christ, a trustworthy confidante whose opinion I came to value greatly, whose fellowship I enjoyed.  By the grace and greatness of God we wound up as neighbors for the last 3 years, living a hard rock's throw from one another.
     Obviously the nature of that relationship where Jenn is concerned has changed significantly.  One of the greatest joys in this life that Jennifer has given up has been the closeness of that relationship she had with Jaime, and of the shared relationship as a couple we had with them.  To this day it grieves me that she probably has no idea what she has missed/is missing in that regard.
     For my part all that transpired with Jenn has shown just how incredible the Riggs truly are, how blessed I am by their ongoing friendship.  Without "taking sides" in any negative sense of the words, they stood with me fighting for my marriage.  Jaime is still (as far as I know) the only Christian sister to whom Jennifer confessed (in the Biblical sense of the word) her infidelity and actually reached out for real help and wisdom.  Travis and Birch are the first two Christian brothers with whom I was able to be completely open and tearfully share my own pain and struggles.  I will never forget sitting at their dinner table telling first Travis, then Jaime and asking for their prayers, which I know were effective  and persistent on my behalf.  They continued to walk with me, listening when that's what I needed, offering wisdom and counsel when that's what I asked for, keeping a prayerful and respectful distance when that's all that could be done. 
     For that time, far and above the lowest low of my life thus far, they were a great blessing to me.  Simultaneously, they have been deliberate about making me a part of their lives in so many facets, sharing their joys and pains with me, embracing me as family.  For them to make it a special point to call and tell me they were expecting Tucker, calling me to tell him he was born--I cannot begin to express what that has meant to me.  I visited them in the hospital, only really expecting to be able see the baby and congratulate my friends.  Without skipping a beat Travis offered him to me to hold; I don't think either one of them have any idea how I had to fight not to cry in that moment for what that really did mean to me.  Some day I hope I can tell that little boy just how special his parents really are (although I think by the time he is old enough for that, he will already have some idea himself).
     All that long background leading up to the news this week.  The wonderful news: they are expecting their second child.  The sad news: they are going to be moving, a little further away (Lexington).  It is a move that absolutely makes sense, but is sad nonetheless.  They do not know if their little one is a boy or girl yet.  If it is a boy, they told me they are thinking at this point his middle name will be Martin, after me.  This english language is just too limited!  To say I am humbled--understatement.  To say I am honored--simply not adequate.  It has unfortunately put me in the position (selfishly I confess) to be pulling for a boy, but other than that I could not be more overjoyed for them. 
     Watching Travis and Jaime, I admire their relationship, praise God for the which in which His hand is clearly on their family.  There are not enough blessings I can pray on their lives, not adequate words to express my thanks to Him for allowing me to be part of their lives.  For this season of my life, they have been beautiful evidence of the favor of the Lord, of His grace.  As they are transitioning to a new sweet season in their lives I am saddened on the one hand by the imminent geographic reality, but excited by the inevitable works of the Lord that will come out of this time in their lives.  Though not by blood, they are truly my family  in the very best sense of the word.