Summer seemed to permeate every inch of everything in those 24 hours; fireflies danced and hummed, the humidity kissed our skin and the wonderful feeling of magic hung in the air. It didn’t matter in my youth that we didn’t know each other well, in fact it was the first time of prolonged conversation. The three amigos were hanging out in the camper because sleepovers were always more fun there even when it was parked on the lawn.
A day of hiking to a fort in the woods, some grilled summer food and a general day of fun had been added to another wonderful day in our lives. New friend mixed with a treasured old one was a new experience and I was enamoured with her by the end of the day. Those were the days where something as simple as a love of Star Wars meant that there was an instant friendship and acceptance. My new best friend was someone exciting and vibrant and who was someone totally different from me in so many ways.
I had all day to take in this wonderful hurricane of happy and to absorb all of who she was. Straight brown hair that was always in a ponytail, intense blue eyes that always looked at me like she didn’t believe that I possibly could exist. She wore simple but kempt clothing, always having a sweatshirt nearby since she was easily chilled with her small frame. Her most beautiful feature was her smile. Back in those days it didn’t come as easily and usually there was a fake glare shortly after because for whatever reason she didn’t seem used to laughing. I didn’t care and during that first day I did everything I could just to see it come out again.
Daytime hours are lean towards the bright sides of conversation that comes with new friendships. Nighttime however is when the deep gut-wrenching revelations begin to emerge, slowly exposing a little at a time to test the trust level. My life has always been an open book but I sensed that there was so much troubling my feisty new friend. As we chatted away in the camper my old time friend grew tired and eventually fell asleep. My newly acquired friend and I however never turned off the lights that night. S
o much of our conversation was so intensely deep that we’ve never had one quite like it in our 15 years of events. She poured her heart out while tears streamed down her face as she revealed a lifetime of doubt in God and questioning her faith. She knew when she met me that it didn’t sound real; a loving God who just wanted to be near her? Her heart could barely hope to dream of something like that and here I was telling her she could have it so effortlessly. She and I expressed to one another years of hurt and pain on both our ends and in those wee hours I was able to convey all of the healing that happened to me. I sat with her both of us in tears letting her know that God didn’t want anything from her, he just simply wanted to talk to her and be her friend. Such was the volume of ministry that I can barely grasp a paragraph of what I said, but that’s the wonderful thing about the Holy Spirit ministering to someone.
Those words were never meant for me to hang onto and remember because they were His gift to my friend. So sweet is his love for her that He would design us to be friends just so He could speak through me to her heart. Our conversation that night cemented the foundation of what I call a life-timer friend. I had no idea that years and years later I’d once again bring up the subject of faith and get the chance to bring her to my church. I had no idea I’d see her laugh without reservations and watch as her eyes shone with the love and acceptance that some people never find.
I’ve been so blessed to watch as our friendship has grown and stretched, and always come back to one another. I’ve watched her cry with heartache, dance with victory and even was privileged to see her walk down the aisle as the most beautiful bride I’ve seen. I’ve been so honored to be in her life and I’m looking forward to what the next 15 years will bring.
