People: Jake Sterhagen

I have been out of college for two years now. A lot of people have impacted me in those two years and I figure that it is high time that I start to tell them how they make me feel. I am focusing primarily on the people that I did not get a chance to thank in college but have left their imprint on me since. I have no target number to compete, but I need to inform people that they have loved. Considering that I have grown less emotional since college, this project does pose its problems; have grace on me please. This post is about one of my best friends, Jake Sternhagen.

Jake, you are one of the greatest people that I know. I met you years ago at a worship night, and we have had a robust relationship ever since. Jake, there is no way that in one post I could say enough about what you mean to me, but please permit me the grace to attempt to do so anyway. For two years now, I have needed your friendship very much. You listen to me well and you give me room to talk and think. You are one of the most rational people that I know, and you have a way to make people around you think rationally, and I appreciate that because as rational as I am, I simply get fed up with people far too much. But you do not Jake; you are very reluctant to give up on people, and I do not consider that weakness, I consider it strength. You love Christ, and you are actually interested in investigating truly and completely what that means and giving energy to the thought process of figuring this all out. You are an incredibly good friend to everybody who considers you a friend, and anybody who is a friend of yours would vouch for that. After college I lost a lot of people close to me, not because they were now uninterested in being my friend, but because they left geographically. You verily filled in that gap and filled it in lovingly and exceptionally, always taking time to be intentional with me. Man Jake, you even helped me get my driver's license.
Jake, all of this to say, you have been such a good friend for so long. You make time for me, pay for me far too often. One of the things that is most substantial is that you actually give thought and effort into how to love me practically. That is such rare a trait, Jake. Most people talk about love but have no real idea or discipline to carry it out, but you are interested in practical love. Not only with me, but you seek to practically love God as well. You are unsettled when you perceive evil and wrong around you and you seek to make change. That is another rare quality to find in people, that you possess. You are a one of a kind friend to me and consequently, I have a deep-seeded love for you. I am often overwhelmed by the love that you show me because it is rare that people show love to me with that ferocity. I need that in my life, and it has created between us a spirit that allows me to discuss truly anything. Jake, there is nothing that I feel like is off-topic to discuss with you, another rare quality. I appreciate that freedom and openness.
Jake, thank you so much for being such a good friend and encouraging me so much. I truly do not know what my life would have been like if I had not led a bible study with you last year. You are a once in a lifetime friend and somebody whom I hope is in my life forever. You have a youthful vivacity combined with an adult, mature integrity. I can only see our relationship getting better because you are someone that I want to spend so much time with. I love you deeply Jake.