The saying goes something like this, "You don't realize what you've got til it's gone". Well, my roomies are gone (don't worry, its only temporary- spring break!) and I've been realizing what I've got: some freaking sweet sisters and friends that I get to do life with everyday. One of my favorite parts of college has been the deep friendships that have grown from living with a variety of people over my five years here. It's been an incredible blessing to learn from different members of the body of Christ and to be able to look back on individuals who have "lived a life worthy of the calling" in such a way that has sharpened my own walk with the Lord (Proverbs 27:17).
With this in mind, I've just gotta say it: my roomies, Whit, Deeds and Mal are beautiful followers of Jesus but they're also pretty quarky gals. I'm gonna take this opportunity to celebrate how freaking great they are.
Whitney is quite possibly the most purposeful woman I've ever met. An illustration: last year I lived in a room underneath her and could hear whenever she walked anywhere in her room. Now this is not an exaggeration- I never once heard her take a hesitant or uncertain footstep the whole year. Every movement was directed at achieving or accomplishing a specific goal from getting a diet coke from the fridge to walking over to her alphabetized filing folders. Speaking of organization, the other day I was hanging some clothes in my closet (haphazardly of course) and I had a fleeting thought to color coordinate (which I almost instantly dismissed) but I know it was Whitney and only Whitney's influence on me. Whit, you'll be happy to know that I did put some of my striped items together. Whit's prowess on the soccer field has also been a source of great joy for me as we are united under the banner of "unskilled, painfully awkward to watch but ridiculously over-confident and outlandishly outspoken" players. Her one and only goal at the ARC soccer fields will forever remain seared in my memory. She also has an uncanny ability to talk to anyone, anywhere about anything and I think most people walk away from a conversation with Whit feeling quite normal and maybe even somewhat boring. She's got some pretty remarkable talents, experiences and fast facts (steer away from politics unless you're well-informed!) but I'm not gonna give them all away. The coolest thing about Whit is her boldness to speak the name of Jesus Christ to all who have ears to listen. She is unashamed in proclaiming the righteousness of our God and in Christ crucified. This has been a source of great conviction and encouragement in my own walk. Whit's hunger for the Word and her giftedness in sharing its infallible Truth with unbelievers and believers alike is amazing.
Deidre Facklis might be the sweetest and most unexpected surprise-friend I've been blessed with this year. What a freaking gem. Some words that come to mind when I think of Deeds: eccentric, astute, messy, brilliant, random, compassionate. Deeds is known as the "constant whistler" in our house and if you're reading this Deeds, I just want to tell you how much I miss the incessant, tuneless whistling coming from the bathroom, stairway and upstairs! Deeds has this shockingly impressive ability to pound ridiculous amounts of food and remain the bean-pole that she is. It makes me proud to be her friend. I consider it pure joy and blessing to watch this girl grow in her love and passion for Jesus. She is taking the Lord at His Word when He says, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:13) and as He has with all of us, I have been privileged to witness Him "take her back from captivity" (Jeremiah 29:14) and seeing this deliverance has been as watching one come to back to life. Deidre is testament to the sovereign working of the Holy Spirit that transforms the souls and hearts of men and brings them to joy and peace through the cross. Her soft-heart that breaks for the lost, the broken, the unloved, brings me to my knees before God, asking Him to create in me a similar heart of boundless love for His people.
Lastly, where can I even start with Mallory Peckels? Those who know her well know how lucky they are and those who don't should consider their lives, what they're missing out on, and make some immediate steps to reconcile this grave mistake. Don't think I'm kidding. During what I refer to as "The Freedom Years" which are basically the previous four years when Mal and I weren't stricken with lactose intolerance, you could most likely find Mal walking down High Street with 4 cups of UDF ice cream in her hands- Mal is generous and giving, and does not like to eat food alone. Over the years, she's forced large quantities of junk food on me which I usually say "no" to six times and then finally cave on the seventh when she is also raising the spoon or fork to my mouth. Mal is also quite partial to Get Rich Schemes that are offered through sketchy experiments and back-alley offices in the far corners of OSU Campus (consult her for details or if you're interested in getting involved). Pretty Peckels is my partner in intercessory prayer and God has blessed us with a like-mindedness in each other that I have rarely, if ever, experienced in another friendship. Mal walks the road of a humble servant daily, "laying down her life for her friends" (John 15:13). Her self-examination of her life, her sin, her attitudes, her habits, is the unmistakable result of the Holy Spirit's sanctifying work in her life. She has and is being refined into a beautiful child of God. This is evident to all.
It is written, "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 1:31) and so I boast in the Lord alive and active in the hearts of my roommates. What a cloud of witnesses! I am humbled by these ladies' lives and I praise God that He is a God who creates relationships that are made real and true and life-filled through Him. God is good.
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men so that we will not grow weary and lose heart." Hebrews 12:1-3
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