“I believe that love is the answer
I believe love will find a way”- Lyrics from “I Believe” by Building 429
God has used many people and events to help me realize that
love from Him and each other is all we need to survive in this world. One
person that has inspired me to live a life of love is my friend Arlene. Arlene
is just a regular Christian college student with the same struggles as everyone
else. However, she came to college with a mission to love and accept everyone,
and this is where my story begins.
It was August of 2005 and I was moving over 400 miles away
from my home of Baton Rouge, LA
to attend Arkansas
Tech University.
I was terrified of being so far away from home. I wondered how I would make
friends and survive without my parents right there backing me up. Move-in day I
meet Arlene. She lived next door to me in the dorms with her best friend. Even
though they had each other, Arlene was selfless enough to reach out to me and
include me in everything that they did that first day.
About a week later I got a call from my mom informing me
that Hurricane Katrina was going to hit them so I should not be alarmed if I
can not get in touch with them for the next couple of days. I just assumed it
was just another hurricane and I should not be alarmed. When Katrina hit, I was
in shock of what was happening in my home state. I could not get in touch with
my family and prayed that they were safe. I felt lonely and God lead me to talk
to Arlene.
Although Arlene barely knew me, she sat there patiently and
listened. She comforted me and we watched the news together and prayed. The
next day I was able to talk to my family and found out that they were okay.
After that day I was not able to get in touch with my family for a couple of
weeks since all communication devices were being used for emergency purposes
only.
That weekend Arlene took it upon herself to invite me to her
home. I was nervous at first and really wanted to be alone, but Arlene insisted
that I come. When we got to her home, Arlene’s family treated me like I was one
of their own daughters. They would let me be alone when I wanted to and were
always there for me with a listening ear. I could feel God’s love surrounding
me as they took care of me. It was a feeling of peace that I was not alone and
that everything would be okay.
Loving me was not something that Arlene had to do but it was
something she did because she allows God’s love to flow through her. The love
and prayers that she offered to me and my family helped me through what should
have been a very lonely time in my life. God used Arlene to show me the
importance of loving His children even if you do not really know them. His love
can get people through rough times in their lives. I am thankful that God
blessed me with Arlene and that He comforts His children through His
never-ending love.
