I Know Beautiful Women: Gina

This is a series I'm working through. Click the label at the end of the post to pull up the other essays.

     I love Gina! I mean, if I'm at an event or meeting she's the first person I look for. If I spot her husband I immediately ask him if she's here or on her way. She's the one I make eye contact with across the room at meetings and she knows, she just knows the smart aleck thing I'm dying to say. She is funny, and vibrant, and absolutely one of my favorites. The wonderful thing is that I haven't even known her a year yet.

     We met last summer at a church planting meeting and that was it. I do this thing where I meet someone really awesome and I decide right then and there that we need to be best friends. The other person doesn't have much say in the matter. You are cool and I am cool so now let's be best friends. That's how it goes. I did that with Gina and she went along with it. Now it's hard to imagine that she wasn't around this time last year. I didn't know what I was missing. Over several dinners and late night talks we've shared our hearts and lives and are solidly headed into best friend territory. At least I am. You'd probably be smart to get Gina's side of things (but I'm not sure I'm going to let her have a choice).

     Gina and I look so different it's unreal. She's tiny and petite, wiry and athletic from biking and running. Pretty much the exact opposite of me. No lie, she used to do triathlons for fun-she even threw a couple Ironmans just for grins and giggles. She has a laid back no fuss style that suits her personality. She's more likely to focus on the hearts in the city around her than shopping the latest trends, lessons I'm still trying to learn. I'd like to post a photo of the two of us together but I don't have any to post. Mainly because Gina hides from cameras. Also, she's the woman behind the scenes, making sure that everything gets done and everyone is taken care of. Without her, so many things would fall apart. Probably even me! I don't want to live in Atlanta without Gina. Ever.
   
     Gina is beautiful in the way she serves and lives out of a passionate desire to love other people. She takes care of friends in Macon and Atlanta, splitting her time between them to make sure people are loved in both cities. She has traveled all over the world, sacrificing her time to bring relief to the people who need it most. In Atlanta, she works with organizations that help free women from all types of bondage: life on the streets, addiction, the sex industry. Most women with the available time that Gina has, spend their days brunching and shopping and climbing social ladders. But not this woman. She meets so many needs it's unreal. Trying to sync up our schedules can be difficult because she is so busy helping people. Gina is burdened for the hurting ones around us. She helps women escape from the lowest rungs of society and does it because she truly loves them and sees their value.

     So here's to Gina: the strongest woman I know, the servant I'm trying to be, my favorite. I love you and I can't wait to gather years of memories together!