Today, I’m not sure why, but I just could not stop thinking about how blessed I am that God put certain people in my life. I know I wouldn’t be the same without them. It was a long thought process ending in happy tears. My thoughts took me back to the beginning – I, at about 13 years of age was pulled from my roots, taken from all I had ever known to wander aimlessly – or so it seemed - for what seemed like an endless amount of time.
I grew up going to Full Gospel Church of Carnegie. I spent just about my whole life there until the summer before my 13th year. That summer, 2005 was well…honestly the least enjoyed summer that I ever lived through. I loved Full Gospel and I loved what I did there. It was home to me. I knew everyone, I had friends there, it was home. Well, saying I wasn’t a happy camper when we left there to visit other churches is an understatement. I complained week after week about the churches we visited, (nothing personal against them – they simply were not home.) It was a miracle that my mother put up with my complaining that summer. Well, we visited New Day Assembly sometime in August – first on a Wednesday night.
I was the only other girl in class besides Erica. Now Erica was only just over a year younger than me. We talked a little but were both kind of shy. The conversation went to horses and we were off instantly. There was just a sudden link between us right there. I loved her right away. It’s amazing how close we are now because oh, if anyone could see what I put her through! And every week! It is purely God we are friends still. Long story short, I was a know-it-all, and if you didn’t know something that I did, well…I was terribly shocked and felt the need to educate on the subject…Well anyways, back to that first Wednesday night at New Day, we did a short class and then leaving that evening I still remember going, “Mom! We have to come back here!” That was something she had never heard me say all summer! A few weeks later, New Day became my second home. Me and Erica – well we were a pair alright. I picked on her mercilessly I’m ashamed to say. That was over with after a few months, but oh what I put her through!
It didn’t take long to figure out that Erica was…holding back…I guess I could say…to me she just seemed so amazing! She could sing and dance and she had a horse and her life sounded amazing! She was everything I had always dreamed of being! I didn’t think she would want to be friends with me. I mean what was so special about me? For the longest time, things stayed the same. We weren’t super-close. We didn’t really know each other. But God worked in both of us.
Then at Youth Convention 2007, the walls came down, and God was really able to move in us. That’s where we first really became friends! That was when things really began to turn around for me. That Convention, Erica and I shared a room, so we were together a lot when we were not in services. Everything really changed there. We learned so much about each other, and even still, there was so much we were both holding back and so much more we still had to learn. At the worship service Friday night, everything changed. There was an altar call, and we all went down, Erica and I together, and I remember singing, “I Am Free.” Hand-in-hand we raised our arms and sang, and that’s when the walls came down. After that night, we were never the same. Gradually after that, we became closer and closer and eventually – inseparable! That’s really how people see us now. It’s like we have always been that way. But really we have had a long journey. There are several dates that stand out in my mind right now…I wish I had time to go into all of them, but I’ll do as many I as I can now. After that February 2007 Convention, next day I’m thinking of would be, June 29th, 2007.
That Friday night we had a speaker at church – Johannas Amritzer. Erica and I were both there, as were the other girls. He was speaking on “Chainsaw-through-the-roof Faith.” Afterward they did an altar call, and then they called up anyone who had their friends up there to come up and pray with them. So we were up there. We went up there for our friends, but we were the ones who ended up receiving. Sue Willis prayed over us, and we both received our prayer language that night! It was just amazing! The Spirit was really moving and really powerful there! I have no words to describe what it was like exactly! We all sat together after, talking and just, WOW! Looking back, I can really see how God was moving with that! We left the church at around 1am. Getting back to the house, I just couldn’t sleep! I was so excited about everything that had happened that night. I listened to the recording I had of the service over and over and over again through the night! Which in listening to it, I found that I had forgotten to turn it off when we went up for prayer, everything was on there! That night was just really memorable for Erica and I.
Those I think were our biggest nights…after that, I think what kept us together and what really helped build the friendship we have, is dance. We could really relate to each other with it. Dance is where we came back to the heart of worship, where we came back to God, and ultimately, where we found each other. I think God used that to bring us together. That was really where we found our unity. And it has been growing and growing through everything.
We have had long conversations throughout the days of what God is doing in our lives, and just about our faith, and it has really brought us closer together, and has strengthened our faith. We have both come so far, and I know I wouldn’t be where I am without her. I think we showed each other what true friendship is. I have never had a friendship like I do with Erica. There is never anything between us. We never leave anything unsaid. When one of us is down, the other is always there and ready to help them. I can’t count the times she has been there for me when I really needed someone. We always know when something is wrong, or just something that is not right, just by looking at each other. The smile can’t fool you when you know the heart.
My friendship with Erica is unexplainable, and there is none and never will be another like it. Strong, built on God, tested and tried. She’s my angel friend. I wouldn’t be where I am today without her. Us today…well no one would ever know how rough the journey has been…and what is written here, hardly scratches the surface…there is so much more that must be left unsaid…and even more that can’t be put into words…All I can say is,
Erica, thanks for being there when I needed you most, and when I pushed away, and just for everything! You truly are amazing and I can’t wait to see what God will do in your life! I know he’s going to use you in amazing ways! Luv you angel!!!
~Brittany (1 Peter 3:4)
