Featured Friend: Allie

Allie and I haven't really been friends that long in the broad spectrum of things, but I'm pretty sure one day we'll be able to look back and say ours has been a long-standing friendship.

I met Allie one night when I was watching some friends playing basketball in her church's gym.  Honestly, I had no idea when I met her that we would stay friends for as long as we have.  The Lord definitely has a reason for us to be friends, because He persisted in bringing us together again and again until we finally decided Hey, we really should be friends as if it was our idea.



I've always admired Allie's personal style.  Her attitude is basically if-it-makes-me-happy-I'll-wear-it.  You may see her on one day in athletic shorts and a t-shirt, and the next day in a long bohemian skirt or a cute blazer and scarf.  As weird as it may sound, I remember what Allie was wearing when I first met her.  I don't think I can remember what any of my other friends were wearing when I first met them.  She was wearing a flowy skirt and a peasant top.  I'm pretty sure one of them was yellow.

I have learned the lesson of wear-what-you-want from her (a hard lesson for someone like me to learn), but she's taught me some other stuff as well:

Loving People:  Make Sacrifices and Listen
Allie loves her friends, her family, and her church, so she lives in the town where her church and her family are, which is half an hour away from the town where (most of) her friends live.  Girlfriend is a champion commuter, a sacrifice which should not be looked over in this day and age.  We have Bible Study every week, and Allie is there every week.  I'm sure there have been times when she didn't feel like driving, but she always comes anyway.



She doesn't come just for Bible Study either, she comes just to hang out with us.  She loves to listen to what we have to say and she always knows just what to say.  One of the best things I've learned from Allie is how to give advice.

Allie listens to the whole story, pauses and sympathizes with you, then says "well, what about this?"
She gives value to what you are saying, rather than just jumping right in and trying to solve a problem.
And she always remembers what you've said.  She looks you in the eye and doesn't let herself get distracted while you're talking to her.

Loving God:  Believe Him
This girl believes God for all his promises.  If she feels like He wants something to happen in her life, it might as well have already happened in her book.  She's the ultimate outliving of "the battle is already won."
Even in the midst of waiting for things to happen, she never doubts that the Lord will bring them about in His time.  It's as hard for her to wait as it is for the next one, but she doesn't lose hope while she's waiting.
I think that's a lesson many of us could benefit from.

Thanks, Allie, for loving me and for showing me what it really looks like to have joy in the future God has promised you.