Holding Space

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I’ve been trying to find a way to really write and describe a certain person in my life that I was able to visit in Ohio, but it has been hard!

Without giving away too much of a story that isn’t mine, I still wanted to share how much they mean to me.

Then it hit me! Alright it was the Holy Spirit...

But let me back up a minute and share who I’m talking about first.

It’s my fancy sister, Dr. Mindy!

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Some readers here might have already heard of her…and might even be thinking…

Isn’t that the Yeti’s fancy sister??

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I would then say yes. By blood and birthright there is a bond, but she has adopted me by choice!

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It hasn’t always been easy though. Through a few situations that were beyond either of us, our relationship has seen some turmoil, and at some points I really questioned if we’d ever be close again.

Then, because God is so good, things began to repair in those circumstances that caused us to draw apart, and I feel like real healing has started to come into fruition.

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Well, here is the super amazing part in all of this.

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Coming together and talking all the time, sharing life that sort of thing, has come slowly. It really hurts to lose someone you’re close to, and I wasn’t in any sort of rush to find myself in that position again. So, while the outside circumstances were healing, I tried to let our relationship take a more organic course. We’ve talked here and there, and I’ve popped up to say hi while she video chatted the Yeti. Every time I knew I had so much more to say, and I probably could’ve talked to her for hours!

Then, our trip to Ohio came, and I was really excited to see her!

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So this is the cool part!

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The Yeti and I have this saying we use called “Holding Space”. It means when someone is in your life for a season and then they leave, you hold space for them to come and go. So, no matter where either of you are in life, you love them for where they are. In some situations it feels like you can pick up right where you left off thr next time you’re together.

Although I have tried to do this for many people, and I’m sure it has been given in return, I don’t think I knew what holding space really meant until I had chance to really hang out with my fancy sister, for the first time in over four years. Not a quick visit like in the past, but a true honest to goodness just spend time together hang out.

I feel like she must have a gifting from the Lord because without prompt, and maybe even a little reserve from me, she treated me the same way she would’ve had we never lost contact. We fell back into the easy rhythm of our friendship and sisterhood, and that’s when I realized she had been holding space for me. I was blown away. It was real, it was tangible, and it felt amazing!

So, I’m so thankful for all the opportunity the Lord gives us to grow, and the people he puts into our lives…like a fancy sister!

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