Looking back, I see that she was a very passionate person and I did like that about her. When she loved, she did it with all her heart. Whether it was a person or a book or a song, if she loved something she immersed herself in it fully. I liked witnessing that. But in the end, it didn't make up for all the mean things she did to me, and eventually we all parted ways and I never saw or spoke to her again.
At some point during the move out, our stuff got mixed up and I acquired her Bible. I'm not sure how or why, because I never read the Bible then and I wasn't a Christian at that time. I didn't even realize or pay attention to the fact that she was a Christian- probably because I didn't care and didn't like her much. I didn't know what to do with it and I'm not sure when I even realized I had it. The thing that's crazy to me is that through all my moves since then I was able to not lose this book that didn't belong to me and I had no interest in reading.
That was December of 2004.
When I became a Christian five years later, I didn't need to buy a Bible because I already had one- this pretty pink one that was somehow right where I needed it to be at the time.
Over the years I poured over it and learned so much about Jesus and grew deeply in my faith. But there's another special blessing this particular Bible has given me, and I'm not sure what words I would use to describe it. You see, this old roommate actually read this Bible and made her own notes and markings in it.
I feel like as I've gotten to know the character of Jesus, I've also gotten to know Katie. I can see, by her markings, certain parts of God's word that stood out to her. I can see, by her writings, that she had a tender relationship with Jesus and truly loved him. And despite how she treated me 13 years ago when we were both young, immature teenagers, I can't help but have grown to love her- after all, we passionately love the same God. I'd like to think that today she is blessed with a family and all good things, and is a "virtuous wife".
One day as I was reading, I noticed this next page and realized that she made these markings in Dec '04- while we were living together.
Regardless of how I felt about her then, I can see how God has used her as a blessing in my life through our shared Pink Bible. He was pursuing me then, and even though I wouldn't come to know Him for another five years, it's comforting to see how he can turn a situation like that into a blessing.
I'm thankful I never succeeded at kicking her out of my place, and thankful for God always being in the details and all situations, good and bad. And I'm thankful for the sour relationship-turned-sisterhood that I now share with Katie through God's word, even though she undoubtedly doesn't know about any of this.
Maybe someday our paths will cross and I can tell her the whole story.
-Lindsay
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