Friendship is one of the delightful ways the Lord encourages me, convicts me, stretches me, provides for me, and blesses me. Today I want to reflect on a particular way that the Lord has blessed me through such a friendship. One of my dearest friends, Allisa Hovis turns 30 today and I want to celebrate her life and the blessing I’ve been given through her friendship.
I met Allisa over four years ago when we moved to Spring Branch Community Church, now BridgePoint Bible Church. Our friendship blossomed after the birth of her first precious baby, Emily. We began to walk together and while we pushed our busy babies, we kindled a friendship that would become a vital part of my life. Since then, we’ve added more children, more late night talks, more tears, and more giggles. More than anything though, we’ve been sanctified by one another.
Allisa is fun. We have a great time together. We laugh, we joke, we're sarcastic, we "get" each other. We love to play games together, share chips and queso together, and just talk and share our hearts.
Allisa is a friend “who loves at all times” (Proverbs 17:17) and is always ready with a listening ear to sympathize and encourage. She loves me when I’m weak, she loves me when I’m a jerk, and she loves me when I’m unlovable.
Allisa is an encourager. First Thessalonians 5:14 encourages believers to encourage the fainthearted and Allisa does this with grace and kindness. She is always looking to find ways to challenge me and to lead me back to Jesus when I’m struggling.
Allisa counts others as more significant than herself. (Phillipians 2:3) She is the first to jump up and lend a hand. When she’s called to serve, she’s the first to show up and the last to leave. Her heart is for others.
Allisa has a gentleness that is evident to all. (Phillipians 4:5) She is sweet and kind to her friends and to her family. This doesn’t mean that she’s a pushover or that she’s afraid to press in. When she needs to confront a situation, she does so with a gentleness that blesses the receiver.
Allisa loves her family. She is a Proverbs 31 woman. She loves her husband and is constantly striving to love him more and serve him more humbly. She loves her children and she seeks to nurture and admonish them in the Lord while enjoying them and being silly. Her face lights up when she talks about her self-named “Team Hovis.”
Allisa loves Jesus. She loves him with all her heart and soul and might. (Deuteronomy 6:5) She wants to see his face. She wants to spend more time in his word. She wants to hear his voice. She wants to follow his commands. She wants to be convicted by his spirit. She wants to know his grace. She wants to show his love to others.
As Paul thanked the Lord for the believers every time he remembered them, I too thank God every time I remember Allisa. She is a constant source of love and encouragement in my life and she leads me to Jesus. I pray that the Lord would strengthen Allisa as she heads into the next thirty years of life. I pray that in the next thirty years she would see Jesus more clearly, love him more deeply, and serve him more joyfully.
Thank you God for my friend, Allisa Hovis.
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