There's this girl Allie. We met this year, but from our conversations you would have guessed we have been friends for years. There is a long story to how we became friends, but I am going to try and to my best to tell it in a short and concise way.
My senior year of high school, I decided to go to Charlotte Christian. My brother was on the football team, so I thought it made sense to go to the same school with him since I was previously doing online school and needed a change. The football team has a "blue and black" (or white and gold ;)) game before the school year where the team comes together and practices in front of the families. I felt a little bit awkward about going because I didn't know anyone. It just so happened that I met this girl Laura, who had already graduated from Charlotte Christian and had a brother on the team as well. Laura and Allie were roommates at Clemson during their first year, and I can remember Laura telling me how awesome Allie was and that I needed to meet her.
Fast forward to my first semester of college, I was in a World Religions class with this girl Terry. Terry, myself, and our friend Claire, would occasionally grab coffee together after our 9am class and talk about life and Jesus. I was talking about Ryan and the struggles with long distance, and Terry mentions that she has a friend that has a boyfriend that goes to Clemson, the same school that Ryan goes to. When she told me that, I got really excited because that meant there was someone out there that was in the exact same situation as me. How ironic is it to know a person that has a boyfriend who goes to Clemson as well?
I told Terry that I would love to get this girls number so that we can maybe grab coffee. As Terry pulls up the contact, I notice the name is Allie, who happens to be the same girl that Laura was telling me about months before. Laura, a girl I wouldn't have met unless I went to Charlotte Christian, and Terry, a girl I wouldn't have met unless coming to APP, both introduced me to Allie and I am so thankful for that.
The irony continues with the fact that Allie and I have both attended the same church in Charlotte, know the same people, and are pretty much the same person. From the first time I met Allie, I knew that we were meant to be friends. It was very clear that God had orchestrated us to be a part of each others lives. If you knew me Sophomore year of high school, you would know that I wanted to go to Baylor more than anything. A last minute decision brought me to APP and I am so grateful that God lead me here.
Allie is someone that gets me, my heart, and my struggles. Through our long conversations, I begin to learn more about myself (it's probably because she's majoring in psychology and can get these things out of me), and more about God. We have realized how similar we are to each others boyfriends. When she brings up something about Matt (her boyfriend) it sounds like something I would do. This applies both ways. Allie has been my go to person to talk about long distance problems because she truly gets it. It's cool to sit back and think "Well I didn't know why God was doing this in my life at the time, but now I get it." If Allie and I weren't both in long distance relationships, at APP, or wanting the same things out of life, we wouldn't relate as well as we do now. Not to mention that we both sing so there's another thing we have in common.
Seeing God's work through this friendship reminds me why God created friendship in the first place. He desires for us to have community and accountability. He doesn't want us to walk through our life on Earth with no relationships. He purposefully created these beautiful friendships as opportunities to know more about Him. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 states "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!" Cherish your friendships and don't take them for granted! God has placed them in your life for a reason. Friendships are made for accountability, community, love, and a building of faith. I am so thankful for Allie, and also for the others that have spent time pouring into my life and lifting me up in Faith. Don't doubt the reason you are friends, but thank God that He has introduced you to each and every person in your life.
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