i met jade in 2010, second semester, grade 9 business class. we actually graduated from the same elementary school but she was not on my radar. i had no idea who she was. she only came to our elementary school in grade 8, so i didn't really have a desire to get to know the new kid. (i know, i know. kinda mean). and so, when she got assigned to sit next to me the first day of that class four years ago, i didn't know what to expect. but to both of our surprise (or maybe we weren't so surprised?) we became instant bestfriends. we literally spent all our time together and quickly became known to be the ones who laughed too much, talked to much and were distracted/distracting often.
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| Our grade 9 selfie, so cute. |
i remember and so does jade, how we used to send emails back and forth to each other all throughout class when we literally sat right next to each other. it was so fun to have our secret "language" and being able to talk all throughout class without ever getting in trouble:)
as most everyone knows, i grew up in a Christian home. i went to church my whole life, but up until grade 9 i never owned my faith or really took it seriously. the summer of grade 8 to 9 is when i basically recommitted my life to Christ. but i still was not very vocal about it, people just knew. jade knew too and she came to youth with me every once in a while. everyone loved her and life was great.
in grade 10 when my dad got sick (you can read that story here) was when my faith was really tested. but God provided and showed Himself so many times through that journey, that my faith and love for Him just grew stronger and He became more and more real in my life. jade of course was with me through all of it. as a friend and supporter, offering love and laughter when i needed to forget all the bad stuff that was going on.
in grade 11 i went on a missions trip to Barbados and the same year i was baptized. God continued to be there for me and become more and more real in my life. but it wasn't until this past year when something changed. i became more vocal about my faith. i believe it was because i was spending more and more time with Christian friends who were so passionate about God and not afraid to share it with the world. i have grown a lot and i have been reading the bible more than i ever have in the past year. so then God placed jade on my heart.
around easter was when my friend kayla and i really began talking and praying for our unsaved friends. doing so encouraged me more and more and really just affirmed that i needed to help them on their walk and allow God to really use me.
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| Kayla & I |
jade and i have spent so many hours talking about Jesus and what this is all about over the past couple months. i wanted to be so open with her and i continued to be vocal about it. due to my walk with God and all He was doing, as i was reading more and praying more, a fire was lit inside of me and a new passion to help my dearest friend come to know the Lord.
the week of may 28th, i had been slacking a bit in reading and praying.. i was being lazy. but on may 28th when i had to go to the bank, i asked jade to go with me and we went for a walk there. earlier in the month i had downloaded the bible app for her on her phone. so after we went to the bank, there was some benches outside and we decided to sit down.
jade and i are the type of friends that we can sit in total silence and be so comfortable and not have an issue at all. we just enjoy each other's company. and so we sat talking about a few things but then we just sat in silence for a while. later, i found myself asking her if she had read the bible lately. she said she had but it was hard. then we just started talking about all kinds of things related to that. the whole time talking with jade, i was also asking God to use me and for the Holy Spirit to speak through me. to be honest, i do not remember that entire conversation because God really spoke through me the whole time. whenever i talk about God, there's this fire inside of me that is ignited, and my passion shows. and so i just got more and more passionate and finally i asked her if she wants a relationship with her Creator. if she knows that He created her, that He created everything and if she believes that He sacrificed His Son for her so that she could have a relationship with Him, then, does she want that. and she said YES! finally, after months of talking about things and saying she would want to eventually, she finally decided that it was time! and boy was i high on the Spirit. i felt so incredibly blessed to be a part of that experience and to be a part of jade's journey.
my bestfriend became my sister that day. we are going to live forever with our Creator who is our Relentless Lover, who is pursuing us as a bridegroom pursues his bride. and we couldn't be more joyful!
this journey is just beginning, jade's new life began that day and it is going to be challenging, painful, wonderful and powerful, it already is. but i know that God has such an amazing plan for her life and i am so blessed to be a part of it and a part of her story and she a part of mine.
please pray as we journey together through something neither of us have experienced before. (her being new to the faith after living 18 years a certain way, and me for being a supporter and encouragement for my sister in her new faith!)
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In omnia paratus
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