Originally written: Summer 2015
We went to visit my college roommate today. She is dynamic to say the least—one of the strongest influences on my faith in its early years—pushing me to know Jesus at a time when I was searching. We were high school enemies on the basketball court, rivals to the core. I remember her in her blue and yellow uniform. I still don’t let her forget who won the league all those years. And then somehow we were college roommates and best friends. I still see her periodically and she invited my family down for a cookout. So we hopped in the car, headed down Route 30 and knocked on the door. Seeing her still makes me smile.
Some of my favorite things about Kara:
· Her laugh. It’s contagious. Not cliché contagious but actually catchable, like the flu, except happy. I look forward to talking to her just to hear it.
· That she knows me so well. We were college roommates, shared the same major for awhile and played basketball together. On our visit tonight, she asked me if I still struggle to peel bananas. I laughed so hard—no one else in this world would think to ask me that. And come to think of it, being a mom must have cured my no peel banana disease. I seem to be doing much better, I told her.
· Her honesty. Tonight we walked away from our husbands for a bit, just to chat and catch up. It felt like we were back in the dorm room or walking on our way to practice, as we stood near the fire pit, watching the flames bounce around while the mosquitoes attacked. It was different this time—instead of a college campus, we each had our children: “Mommy, I have to go potty.” Or “Mommy, can I have another marshmallow.” But the conversation hadn’t changed. It was still honest. And she just listened about my journey. And asked questions. And offered advice. And I told her about my fear of suffering—about Hocking Hills and my surrender. And she said to me, “Don’t you just pray for trials sometimes? Just so you can be near God?”
It was flippant almost—certainly not rehearsed and so darn genuine. It almost makes me sick with envy. I laughed out loud. As I type these words I am in awe of her faith. “No.” I stated so clearly. “No, I don’t do that.”
But that’s so Kara. Just keep plugging away at life. Ask God for trials, she said.
I’m not there yet. I know that. But tonight I thank God for her honesty. She reminds me of the verse on my fridge—Psalm 73:28--“But as for me, it is good to be near God.”
I am challenged to be thankful in these circumstances. I am challenged to be thankful that I might draw near to God and in drawing near to Him, grow in my faith. This is easy to write but hard to put into practice--to recognize our own shortcomings and to know when we are too far away.
Oh, Lord, give me a faith that strong!