God's Gift of a Sister

          On the car ride to freshman orientation at Ball State University I sat singing with my mum driving next to me. She suddenly started to sing, “go make yourself some friends or you’ll be lonely”. This is a joke between us because most of my friends live far away or I only have a few. However she truly meant what she said. It was freshman orientation and I needed to step outside my box and make some new friends. Once we arrived I was a bit nervous the first day, there were hundreds of kids to talk to but how do you approach someone without the awkward pauses? I sat in a room full of hundreds of people the first day and I was hoping I would meet a potential friend that day.
        Have you ever felt a sudden connection with someone? A connection with no awkward pauses but just a genuine connection? That is what I felt Monday of freshman orientation as I sat in a large auditorium with hundreds of people. I was sitting next to a girl who little I knew would become my best friend in a few hours. We started with our names and majors when suddenly we found that we had a lot more in common then we realized.
         Her name is Maddie, she has blonde hair, beautiful blue eyes, a gorgeous smile and the sweetest voice. Maddie is everything I could ask for in a best friend. However, she not only became my best friend but she became my sister in Christ. As we sat in a seminar for hours bored out of our mind we decided to talk and learn more about each other instead of listen. Finally when a break came I met her loving mom and soon her mom met my mom. That same day at our dinner break we decided to all walk together to the local coffee shop. As we were walking Maddie and I were always way ahead our moms because they always stopped to chat. Little did I know as we were walking my mom was chatting up a storm about my life testimony. I hadn’t shared this with Maddie because most kids at school at home judge me for it and in college I was most excited for a clean slate where no one knows your story. However, when we sat down at the table we got to share our life stories. I told Maddie mine and she told me hers.
          The last day of orientation Maddie and I suddenly got separated into different groups and both of us felt alone and wished we could be together. God made it happen, I left my group to fix something and suddenly Maddie came through the door. We hugged and went with each other and we never separated the rest of the day.
        Sometimes God has a plan and he definitely had a plan this day. He had a plan of placing an angel in my life, a best friend, a sister in Christ, someone to hold me when I feel down, do laundry together so we aren’t alone, and a friend to make sure you don’t have a bugger in your nose or bad breath. Maddie I want to thank you for changing my life in two days. Most importantly I thank God that he gave us each other. Our moms and Maddie and I had many divine appointments in these two days, we prayed before every meal, we prayed for a miracle on top of a parking garage, and in the car.
 
Dear Maddie,
            You are the sister I never had, the best friend I always wanted and the person I can always count on. Thank you! You always hear stories of finding your bridesmaid at college, well I think we did! You never know what you are missing until you experience it and that is how I feel with our friendship. We only just met but I feel like I have known you forever. We had 18 years of our lives to catch up on in just two days but we did that and so much more! When we first met somehow we just clicked and the feeling was not one sided but instead mutual. From our similar life stories, to our similar sense of humor and love for Christ, we have a lot in common. I have discovered so much about myself with just knowing you for two days. I thought I knew what a best friend was, but I truly had no idea until you showed me. I can’t wait for next year with you and for all the silly stories we will have to tell, long with the adventures we have yet to go on. I know we will always be there for each other no matter what and that means the world to me. Even when I told you every bit of my life you stuck by me and support my dreams fully. Thank You. You make the boring times fun, and the fun times even better! I am always here for you if you need a shopping buddy, want to go on an adventure, need a shoulder to cry on, or just need a break from life. I can’t wait to see what awesome things we do together in the fall and what amazing people we will grow to be. I am beyond blessed that I met you and my life wouldn’t be the same without you in it.
Love you,
Sarah