Forever Friend

This marks the end of an era for me. As I sit here and sip my coffee way too late at night , I am flooded with a flurry of emotions. This is the end of a book series that I have genuinely grown with. Twenty-one books later, this series holds my tears, my mistakes, my victories, my joy- because I have read the books throughout so many seasons of life. First introduced to The Christy Miller series at only thirteen, I was captivated by the honesty and rare elements of the story. I had never read a story so relatable or met a character that felt so much like my friend. Christy was and is my forever friend. At thirteen I did not fully understand or want to welcome in the love of Jesus Christ. All of my teenaged years were spent running away from God- the God who I knew was recklessly pursuing me, yet I could never seem to slow down and let Him catch up. I couldn't seem to let the weight of His love and mercy enchant my heart. The funny thing is, though, while I was petrified, broken, and running away from Him, I was simultaneously reading about Christy's adventures falling in love with Jesus and seeking a relationship with Him. Reading about her pursuit of Jesus didn't scare me away, even though I wasn't ready; it only fascinated me and continued sparking my curiosity. As I grew with Christy and the experiences in her life, I began pondering more on God's love and the invitation He was offering to me.

Today I am in love with Jesus. It didn't happen overnight and I am still growing with Him each day. I am certain, however, that He used this book series as one of the many ways to capture my heart. I am a lover of words and reading; that's how I see the world- through words and stories and strings of beautifully-crafted sentences. The stories in these books spoke to me in ways I'm not sure anything else could have. There are so few books like these, if any. The Christy Miller series follows the life of a girl throughout her high school years, her college years, her married years, and her baby years. Robin Jones Gunn has created something remarkable and inspiring for young women- a relatable tale about everyday life and what it means to follow Jesus as you grow. How awesome is it that I was able to read the High School years books in high school, the College Years books while in college, and the Married Years books shortly after getting married?

I hope that one day I can write books like these; a series that is timeless and inspiring to women. I highly recommend this series or any books by Robin Jones Gunn, for that matter. She is a kind, down-to-earth, and a very talented author who truly has a passion for the gift of writing that God has given her. Share these books with the girls and women in your life. I cannot wait to pass along this series to my daughters someday.