Don't You Know I've Always Loved Her

Kirstie Kylene is my sister and I couldn't love and respect her more. My love for her started on January 20, 1987 and has grown over the last 22 & 1/2 years. She's probably the only person who knows my "unmentionable" flaws and has seen my broken heart over and over.

In our childhood years, she was my shadow and I adored it! I got the privilege of being her older sister and modeling all things ladylike (and often un-ladylike). :) She made me feel that I was way cooler than I actually was b/c she wanted to do and wear everything I did.

She was always more fearless than I. For example, one Memorial Day weekend at River Ranch (a fond camping ground we went to 2-3 times a yr.) she chased a baby pig through the poopy mucky mud and wrestled it to the ground; dragged the thing by it's hind legs into a fenced in ring and did all with a grin. We have a picture of her covered in pig dung up to her belly button and she has the biggest cheesy smile on her little face. That's Kirstie. Fearless.

In our teen years, she was a confidante, an intimate comrade and an accountability partner. I remember several occasions when I was humbled and convicted deeply of my sin (which usually involved a boyfriend) from her simply words of love and concern. She was a voice of admonishment even then. God used her all throughout my teen years to sharpen me like iron. I've been broken with her, shed sorrowful & joyful tears with her, and laughed my hardest with her. It's a unique sister relationship. I've never felt a competitive spirit in me when it comes to her and that is utter grace from the Lord. I've simply felt love and admiration for her.

Through college, she was there to listen to all the fun life changes going on in my life: living in a dorm, new roommate, rushing for a sorority, meeting lots of guys & gals, fraternity parties, dance team, ect. I tried to convince her to come to Samford but the Lord was calling her to PBA. Our friendship deepened during her college years as God really stretched her in leading small groups and mentoring younger girls.

She was the first person I called in Feb. of 2006 when I started officially dating the man I knew I would marry. She was also the first person I called on February 10, 2007 when I got engaged to that man, D.R. McNew. She shared in my excitement with so much joy in her voice; I wanted to reach through the phone and hug her!

She stood by me on the most important day of my life: the day I became a wife; August 18, 2007. She supported and loved me through a difficult engagement and faithfully prayed for the unity of D.R. & I. I couldn't be more thankful for those prayers.

We share so much: our fashion, our sense of humor, our thoughts about: God, guys, purity, marriage, modesty, parents.

God is good to give us sisters. I sure got blessed with a great one. I look forward to see our friendship grow in maturity and common love for our Savior and for people. She has a beautiful heart. I look forward to the day when I will stand next to her as Matron of Honor and support her as a wife and some day mother.

"As iron sharpens iron, so one [sister] sharpens another." Proverbs 27:17