my joyful sis...

My sister is an inspiration. Like seriously. Looking over this past year and a half i have realized just how much she has gone through, and the amount of joy that she has covered herself with.

Last year she shattered her leg the day before vacation (vacation included horseback riding, which she had waited her whole life for). She was stuck in bed the whole time. Her injury entitled her to a surgery that halted all hopes of her traveling to Costa Rica with our church. Her summer resulted in major setbacks and crutches.

In all this...i saw her pull her Bible out more, start carrying out caring conversations with people, and never did i hear her complain. Not once. I truly felt proud to call her my sister then.

But now...now i am overwhelmed by her consistent joyful spirit as she pushed through countless trials. Her leg was just the beginning...

Some time later in the year, her friend group diminished. They left and man did it hurt me to see how unloving people can be. My sister is amazing, how could people just get up and leave like that? Within that, she jumped on board the "Year-long Medical" Train. After being diagnosed with HHT (blood disease that runs in our family) she began schooling online and completed her sophomore year of high school. All she had known, all the normal routines changed completely.

Not once did i hear her complain. Every time i would state how life was just so hard for me she would, in her sarcastic nature, simply tell me how i have nothing to complain about. She had every right to complain, but chose not to. She showed me that her strength was not coming from her but from Jesus and she blew my mind with her optimistic attitude.

Her season of struggle and hardship has seemed to endless but her joy and beauty has risen so high up. The fact that she can say "This is all in God's plan and i am learning a lot" in the midst of all this, astounds me. I usually come to this conclusion way after my hard moment and here she is soaking up each present moment knowing God has a plan for her.

I love my sister so much and am amazed by her talent to make everyone laugh, how her steady hand can paint perfectly straight lines, how her love for animals goes beyond my comprehension. She is precious to me.

i am saddened by the fact that it seems like God is stripping everything away from her. How could God allow her to go through hardships while nothing really terrible has ever happened to me in my life? It's hard to trust the Lord when i watch my amazing and beautiful sister have to go through these things.

I am seeing that God uses everything to teach, guide, challenge, and encourage. He has used her to show me what having a good perspective really means and how we should choose joy in everything.