19 years ago today, my freshman roommate and beautiful friend Maddie was born.
There are 9 months and 25 days between Maddie's date of birth and mine. Let's lay out the facts and figures here: at 9 months and 25 days old, there is not a chance I had a clue that Maddie was being born thousands of miles away. Even further, there is not a chance I had a clue that I would meet her, experience the joy (+ insanity) of living with her, and watch her play such a crucial role in my faith journey and life as a whole. I had not a clue that I would grow up, surrender my life to Jesus, and choose to attend a Christian University. I had not a clue what my freshman year of college would consist of. Let's be real, I was clueLESS, unaware, and likely unconcerned with anything that did not involve eating, sleeping, or pooping. #babylife
Nonetheless and even still, here we are 19 years later...and I cannot stop praising God for all the "in-betweens" that led me to the here and now. I am filled with a heightened awareness and immeasurable gratitude for this one...this Maddie...my Maddie.
When I selected my dorm room through a "random" room draw last summer, I (again) had not a clue what was in store. Little did I know that in the months to come, I would experience some of the best and worst days of my life with Maddie by my side. The love, concern, compassion, comfort, and deep appreciation she has shown for getting to know me and my heart the past year has completely blown me away.
In the short time she has been apart of my life, there have been many laughs and many tears. There has been stillness and anything but. There have been times of many words and times of silence. No matter what the circumstance was, the test revealed, or the day consisted of...Maddie was there to simply be in the midst of it with me. Looking back, I realize there never really was a "random" room draw. There was no "cluelessness" or "coincidence," there was only God perfectly carrying out His marvelous plans and proving His faithfulness to me yet again by blessing me with this dear soul and kindred spirit. He knows what we need, and my goodness, He PROVIDES.
She has taught me how to let others in. She has taught me how to think well and deeply. She has taught me how to stay up until the wee hours of the morning and still look flawless upon waking the following day. Nope, just wait...I'm still working on that one. She's got it mastered, though. ;)
Her humor is the kind that makes anyone and everyone laugh. She's not just sarcastic, she's not just filled with contagious laughter, and she's not just a creative story teller...she's all of those things and she is more. She is a writer and musician. She is kind. She is thoughtful, sensitive, and compassionate. She is witty and smart, oh, she is smart. She is wise and she has a captivating presence. Above all...she is a sister in Christ. No matter what the passing years may bring, the most beautiful thing about our friendship is knowing without a shadow of a doubt that we will be together in Heaven one day.
Last night as we were texting back and forth, you said: "there is nothing special about 19!" If only you could see what I see, my friend, because I beg to differ. Celebrating who you have become and have been to others this past year is a privilege and true JOY. I have said it once and I will say it again: thank you, Maddie, for being the answer to many of my anxious prayers and for being the beautiful woman that God has called you to be. Thank you for growing and struggling and being honest about the process. Thank you for listening, sharing, and teaching. The Lord has MUCH for you this coming year...of that I am sure! May it be one filled with hilariousness, executive decisions, and life-giving work that reminds you of the purpose you were created for. I am beyond grateful for each adventure we've shared and I look forward to all of the adventures that are to come.
Happy birthday, dear one. I love you so.
1 comment:
Aw this is so sweet! we're so lucky when we have awesome friends in our lives!