I love change, and I'm excited about jumping into the unknown that is ahead of me, but I thought I'd take a second and reminisce on the last few years.
I got to SFA as a freshman and didn't know anyone at all, but amazing friends fell into my life... and I started to learn what friendship is supposed to look like.
Unconditional love, accountability, and honesty started to become normal to me, but OH did I have a lot to learn about being a friend.
Being away from home that year really helped me to appreciate my family. My sister Ruth and I became more like friends than just sisters. I love her like crazy. In the same year, I got to travel the world with my brother, Daniel. It was a blast. Here's a little glimpse:
Oh, and I got to tour Europe with all of these awesome people for spring break. We hit up Rome, Florence, Paris, and London. .. for FREE. Crazy, I know. That was my first overseas experience, and it's like a disease. I can't get the love for the world out of my blood or off my mind.
Sophomore year for me was just a semester long because I got to spend the spring semester in West Africa. The time I was at SFA was awesome, though. I got to go skydiving!! I had a blast going on spontaneous road trips, going places just for the sake of a photo shoot, and learning how to balance school, sleep, and a social life. Sleep was usually the first to go. =)
During this semester in Niger, I really had to re-find my identity. I wasn't with my huge family, my church, my friends, or my school-- Who was I? I was a stranger in a strange land. I had to drop my entitlements because, really, no one cared. In the village of Ayorou, I was only known by the love I showed, the God I represented, and well, the color of my skin. It was insane to me that the African friends that I made had never heard of a religion other than Islam or of a God who loved them.
I learned that friends can be found in every culture in every nation. Every place can be a home.
The day I got home from Africa, there were about fifty people at my house to welcome me home. It was insane. It was crazy to be around so many English speakers all at the same time... and to realize how blessed I am with people who love me. People go out of their way everyday to show me that they love me-- if you're one of those people, thank you. Really.
My junior year was so sweet. I got to live with my best friends and share life together. I never had to do anything alone because they were right next to me the whole time. I learned that authenticity beats appearances any day, and that life isn't about me. At all. But that one way I can show the world that I follow Him is to love the people he has put in my life.
This past summer, my friendships started to change because they started leaving. I felt like my life was falling apart, but don't worry, it wasn't.
Kodee married Dan, Allie left for Afghanistan, Sonnie was in Portland, Sarah was headed off to teach precious kids in Houston, and I was the baby-- still destined to be in Nacogdoches for my senior year.
After spending a few months convinced that I didn't need any new friends (miserable if you can imagine), I couldn't hold them back anymore. I am so blessed. Friendship is everywhere. I just had to be transparent and let it happen. This past year was such a blast. I got to work with Nate and Roman and do Crosspoint things, have endless sister nights with Ruth, and breakfast dates with Teysha and Caroline. I couldn't have asked for better people to spend my last year of college with. Like they always say, lasty's a blasty.
Turns out that these friends still love me too. I'll love them forever. No doubts. How does that old song go again?? "Make new friends and keep the old..."
Here's just a little taste of my last four years. Four years of insane blessings and hardcore friends.
