My semester probably could be summed up into one word: redemptive.
Last semester, I lost a really close friend not by death but by allowing my friendship to take the place of my relationship with God. After all the drama occurred I ran to God only in hopes of getting her back. I never really had that thought they she could see though it or I needed to really turn to God. He is the giver of all good things, so He gave me her at that time but now needed to take her away because of the way I sort of held her as an idol in my life. I ran to her for everything, she was who I went to for advice, who I vented to, studied with, ate with, shopped with and hung out with. It was harding losing someone who occupied your whole life. The worst part was she lived under the same roof with me, and rarely spoke to me. A letter was written to me by her, that really made me look at myself in the mirror but for all the wrong reasons. We went our separate ways in May. I spoke to her maybe a few times before this fall regarding things of mine that she still had. Out of no where one night, I got a Facebook message from her apologizing for all the pain she caused me. I had already forgiven her a while back which made this whole situation a little easier. That relationship is not fixed like I would have liked but I am able to ask her questions regarding her health and things like that, because I still care about her and pray for her daily. I have learned this semester that things don't always go your way that I have to let go and let God. If I worry about it all it does is pull me down and bring my focus away from where it really needs to be.
That same week, I had been praying about forgiving people in my life that had hurt me in some ways or others, and also asking them for their forgiveness as well. I figured I might as well get it over with. I sent a girl a Facebook message just apologizing for everything that had happen in our friendship, and asking her to forgive me for everything that I have done against her. A little while after I sent the message she came over and hugged me and told me she forgave me, and asked if I would forgive her. That night changed our friendship, no we aren't best friends but we are able to talk civilly. It has made this semester a lot better, considering we share many of the same friends.
I have also this semester to become closer to some people. I have been able to learn not to allow one person to consume my life. Christ is my rock and corner stone which allows for me to not worry about not having someone, He is always there.
Also during this semester, I had an unexpected blessing. Something I never saw coming and would have never done on my own. I was able to become close to someone who I had met at Carowinds over the summer. I had an injury to my ankle and had to spend some quality time in First Aid. Over the end of the summer, this person and I were able to talk very easily, which amazes me still to this day how that worked out. After I had already left for the summer, this person added me on Facebook. I was excited to see that this person was also a Christian like I was. At Carowinds christianity is something not mentioned a lot at carowinds so you never know. It was amazing to have found that somewhere I had been for years. This person and I decided we would meet up for lunch one afternoon before they headed back to school. We ended up talking for about 4 hours that afternoon. Time just flew by not really knowing what time it was. We went our separate ways that afternoon. This person let me know that they had safely arrived in Boston. We did not talk much after that until maybe a week later, when this person texted me to tell me something. From that day on we talked on IMed constantly, which then lead to us talking on the phone. Our friendship had grown a lot which led to more feelings. We both prayed about this relationship, because it had already brought together by God so we needed to allow Him to work in this relationship. We are now dating. We can both now see how God worked things together for us to be together as well as past relationship have caused us both to want to glorify God in this relationship. We tend to be on the same page about everything, which is very much a God thing. God has truly blessed me with someone so amazing to currently spend my life with, to encourage me and care for me the way He would have. I have no idea where this will go, all I can do is pray about and lay it at His feet and It will all work together for good.
Another exciting thing about this semester I have become pretty close to one of my roommates, which has made this semester a lot more fun and exciting.
I am going to stop for tonight, but it truly has been a redemptive semester especially with my relationships not just with friend, but also with God.
