limited edition.

When I met Kat almost a year ago, I knew immediately that she was for a limited time only, like a McRib.

"Lindsey, this is Katherine. She's about to move to Bulgaria."

Just the day before, Jon and I had broken up, and I didn't want to be at girls' night at Rebekah's to begin with, much less make small talk with someone I probably wouldn't see again.

But that's the thing with Katherine. "To know her is to love her," they say. You don't have a choice, really. I resisted the best I could, making jokes so I didn't burst into break-up tears at any moment. And she got my jokes... all of them, even the bad ones. Kat will literally laugh at anything, and it's such a bubbling, delicious laugh you can't help but catch.

By the end of the night, we exchanged numbers, in what would become our typical, awkward manner: "Look, I don't normally do this, but..."
"Oh my gosh, do you want to exchange numbers?!"
"I mean, yeah, kind of... I know we just met and stuff..."
"Yes! Definitely! Unless you think we're taking this too fast..."
"Absolutely not. Let's do this. Call me."
"Stalk you."

And we were off, just like that. She did call me the next day to go to lunch. In break up style, I just couldn't bear to see the light of day, so this fabulous stranger brought me lunch and actually wanted to be around miserable me.

A few nights later, she called to talk about a friend who weighed heavily on her heart, someone in desperate need of prayer. And she told me that maybe I was an answer to her prayers, and I knew that she was undoubtedly an answer to mine. Having lived a pretty lonely existence in Tuscaloosa for a couple of semesters, Kat opened her life up to me, willing to share her friends, home, and community to me within days of knowing each other. I wish I had the words to express what a major turning point for me this was... how the loneliness was overwhelming, the few acquaintances just familiar faces once in a blue moon... and then in dropped Katherine: insta-best-friend, just add wine.

We worked out together, we watched bad movies together (Ex. The Babysitter's Club), we ordered pizza and made cookies. In a lot of ways, we reverted to middle school slumber parties. The memories I hold dearest of my time in Tuscaloosa involve Kat; the people I love most that I met in Tuscaloosa are because of Kat.

By summer, we knew that Kat wasn't moving to Bulgaria in August as planned. We prayed, and she worked, undeterred. I've never seen anyone so committed to their calling. So willing to die to self and live for Christ. People adore Kat-- she's hardly escaping some ho-hum life here in the States. She's turning her back on a wonderful, thriving, comfortable existence here... to go to Bulgaria, the heartbeat of sex trafficking, to work with the loveless.

The road to Bulgaria was not an easy one-- time and again, the support just wasn't enough; for me, that'd be just enough to tell me to stay put right smack in my comfort zone. But Kat... she pushed on, like she needed Bulgaria as badly as they needed her. Her heart has been broken for the women of Sophia, Bulgaria, since before I met her, and it will never be at peace until it is with them, pouring out Christ to them.

When I heard the news that Kat had reached 100% support and had set a final departure date, my own heart broke. Because I was losing a very best friend for two and a half years. Because her family is losing her for two and a half years. Because she'll miss the birth of her niece or nephew. Because she'll miss my wedding-- a wedding that would have never come to be without her place in mine and Alex's life.

His ways are higher than my ways.


The theme of my life... I don't understand it. Last night, I held back tears as I hugged her and wondered why she couldn't just do mission work here. "Right here in our own backyard," they say.

And then my heart broke for other reasons. Because I'm not half the woman Kat is. Because I've never walked away from anything for a higher calling than my own. Because I'm a coward. Because it suddenly occurred to me how disgustingly selfish I've been to want Kat to do anything other than get straight to Bulgaria as fast as she could, to dive straight into the center of God's sovereign will for her life.

Katherine, you are my inspiration and my best friend. Few people have laughed and cried with me as often and as faithfully as you have. The Lord is going to do BIG things through you, and I can't wait to watch. Watch and pray, watch and pray. We're all praying for you, daily. Don't forget that-- even when it's dark. Lonely. Cold. Disheartening. We're behind you, and we'll all be there to sing praises when that darkness is pierced by Light, thanks to you-- when those loveless women finally see light, community, and grace. When they finally see Christ, through you.

If we all abandoned ourselves to be so fully used by Christ... what a difference.

You are inscribed on the palm of His hand, Kat...
Isaiah 49:16