brooke | beautiful

this is brooke. she is my very best friend in the whole wide world. and she is absolutely beautiful. usually the word beautiful is used to describe outward appearances- in which this is 110% true of brooke, but even more so- her heart is beautiful.
Brooke is one of the most loving people I have ever known. And as I started writing this, I realized there was no way I would be able to help you understand the amazing woman that Brooke is- so I decided to copy an excerpt from her "about me" section on myspace- (that's totally cheating, I know-but her words will capture her better than mine ever could- so this is brooke-
"I still fight.
And I am still learning. A lot. I have come a long way. My powerful and loving God has pulled me from the depths of sin and depravity and has worked miracles in my life. He has restored me. He has healed me. He has loved me. And He has shown me what love really is. How to accept it. Because I am worthy of it. How to embrace it. Because I do deserve it. But not because I am me. I am only worthy because I am covered by the grace of my Savior. By the blood of the Lamb. Christ has changed my life. But this isn't just a past thing. This is a present and a future change. Just because I am further along in this journey than I was three months ago, doesn't mean that I am anywhere near the finish line. God is still working on me. Teaching me how to be selfless, giving, caring, compassionate, kind. Everything opposite of what I am on my own. It is only on His strength that you may see anything good come from me. Only by His grace. But He is worth it. Most of all-God is teaching me how to love. What love really is. He is teaching me that love is trust. Even when its hard. Love is faith. Love is war. You must fight for it and you must protect it. True love is opposed by all the demons of hell because it is worth so much, and it can bring so much life. Which is exactly why it is worth fighting for. He is teaching my heart, all of the things that my head has known about love for some time. But it means so much more to my heart. He is teaching me that the only way to make love work is through Him. No other love can thrive. No other love can draw people near. But a love given by Him. A love that lets Him lead. A love that I long to demonstrate. A love that is at the center of it all.
I am still passionate. A firecracker if you will. There is a fire that burns within me that my Lord has no desire to put out. Only to fan. And to direct.
I love Jesus. I love grilled cheese. And peanut butter. I love to spend time by myself. I love to color. Jesus is my everything. My very breath. I love to write, and to read, and I love to have things in order. I love Dean, he is a blessing to me, from Jesus himself. He has become my best friend. I love adventures. I love fields of open flowers, and climbing trees. I love being as free as a child.
And that's me.
I fight for love.
I am learning.
I am passionate.
I am a child.
And Jesus loves me. Passionately."





























and I decided this last picture was the perfect depiction of Brooke's heart and soul as a woman- beautiful, happy, and free- "free to dance and free to sing, free to live and love and free to believe..."