A Surprising Friend

For two years I worked in an at the local university. Most of the people I worked with were nice, but nothing that made me want to keep a friendship. But there was one that was different. Her name is Theresa. I never expected the friendship we have today.

Theresa and I shared a connection that really only one other person in the office had: a real, live, faith in God and in Jesus Christ. We had another connection: my mother was her mother's nurse when she was undergoing dialysis.

After I moved to Searcy, Theresa and I stayed in touch, via the internet. Some visits to Ashland allowed us to have lunch together, but a lot of them didn't. But now I'm back here, and her friendship has became even more of a blessing. There are three things that I love about Theresa. First, her sense of humor. She's witty and is always there to help me laugh when I need to. But she's also so amazingly sensitive to people's hurts and pains. She's been such a source of strength for me since my mom was diagnosed - in fact, today she sent ME flowers.

There's a third thing I love about Theresa. Her faith. To be honest, most of the Catholics I have known haven't been very real in their walk. They go to church once or twice a year and give little thought to God in between visits. When things are hard, they don't have a relationship with their Maker that leads them to His comfort. Most of them will tell you it's a religion they claim, not a faith they live.

But not Theresa. She is a woman of prayer, a woman of faith and a woman with the love of God active in her heart and her life. She may be the very reason I got a job in that office. Not to pay bills or improve my skills. But to meet a friend who would bring such blessings into my life. Thanks Theresa.