Meet Michelle Anderson: Rewind to freshman year, youth group and leadership. I'd just moved to Fresno and knew no one...although i have no idea how we both met, i can get glimpses of my first year in this new place of us just laughing at everything and enjoying life together. We were glued to the hip freshman year-we were the typical freshies and needed each other just to laugh. What drew me to her originally? Not many people can joke and have fun with so much purity and liveliness but at the same time have a strong foundation in Christ. She is so beautiful and yet doesn't flaunt it every which way. She knows where her value and worth lie and that is not of man's acceptance but of Jesus'. She always shared in any group discussion and has always been honest. We transitioned into sophomore and junior year, friendly as always, but nothing more than a simple hi and hug. These were pivotal years in both of our lives where, through trial and error, successes and excitement, we started to stand firm in what we truly believed in and grounded in on who were were in Christ. At the start of senior year, the "fun and easy" chapter of our lives that we enjoyed for the last few years, started coming to a close all because of having to work in a real work environment. There were so many new responsibilities and expectations held to seniors and throughout the craziness, we both decided to go to dinner and just catch up. What a bonding moment. who would have thought we would tell our struggles within these last couple of years and open up enough to be raw and vulnerable. what a risk worth taking. in the car she said "i know that i may not reach out like you do, but know i will always be here for you and im you friend" sure ive heard people say it..but she she truly meant it. wow. God has brought us together, not for just for a surfacey "friendship" but for a deep and incredible friendship that has now shaped and molded my view on what love, sacrificing, and loyalty means within a friendship.
Meet Fletcher Klassen:
A boy, well young man, who has blown me away with his heart for God. Not very many can say that our friendship started when he helped my family move into a new house, go to kenya for christmas to serve for 3 weeks, go to a school formal, and have an incredible God-given friendship. He has such a heart for ministry. He constantly makes me laugh and always brightens my day. He has seen both my good and bad sides, seen me cry and even act like a clown, and loves me for me. He is loyal and caring. In the midst of hard circumstances, his strong love for Christ was his energy and by just the small things he does has truly influenced me.
Meet Sean Borgstadt:
This boy, i have known since freshman year. At first he thought i was weird so i decided there was no point in being friends with someone who didn't really want to be friends. Well God had other plans i would say, and kept placing him in my life in different ways. Leadership for one. In most of our group discussions, he was always in my group and in any group pictures with youth group..he was always next to me. Our families started becoming friends and still we didn't really acknowledge each other. For Jr/Senior Classic retreat we started to make our way closer to a friendship but it wasn't until one night in leadership when we were talking about if we were spending our time wisely here on earth and after a challenging exercise, he walked away challenged, it was laid on my heart to send him a quick message asking if he wanted to talk about it. From there we started to have several conversation and then he started giving me rides home after leadership. As his friends moved in different directions he started to see that a few of us, who were still in his life, were pretty amazing :) Although me and him are not very similar we bring out the best in each other. We can talk for hours or just play. He has such an understanding of God and i have loved seeing his relationship with HIm grow and how he views life.
None of these friends expect more than i can give. They accept me, love me and challenge me. They have redefined what a friendship really is. What a joy it is to be a part of their lives and be invested into.They bring only the best out of me and lift me up. For however long God allows them in my life, I am and will be so thankful for the impact they have had on my life and the tremendous encouragement to push me to become the woman of God I have been called to be. I AM SO BLESSED.
