a conversation with an old friend

Over the reading week I got together with my friend Marlee, we went to my favourite Starbucks in Saint John to sit, chat, and catch up. Marlee and I grabbed picked up our drinks; she got a Frappuccino and I got a peach tea and then we made our way over the fireplace and found some comfy chairs to sit and chat.

Marlee and I met when we were in fourth grade and we have been good friends ever since. In the past few years we have only been able to see each other about two or three times a year but every time we get together it is like no time has passed. We can talk for hours about anything and everything.

Well we have talked about anything and everything except faith and Christianity.

Until …

Last week (during the reading week) when we got together for coffee.

So Marlee and I have been friends for 13 years! Can you believe that? I’m old enough to have been friends with someone for 13 years!! (I literally just had to take a few minutes to let that settle in)

Me and Marlee. Summer 2010 

Anyway, we have been friends for a long time and we never talked about Jesus. I always knew that she didn’t really go to church (she would go sometimes with her grandparents) and she always knew that I did go to church, but we never ever talked about church. I never invited her to youth group or church and she never asked.

One of the reasons for that was because I was scared. I have talked about Jesus to others before, but usually it was with strangers or people I wasn’t super close with. I had always been afraid to talk about my faith with friends because, as bad as it sounds, I was afraid I would make the friendship weird or be awkward.

I learned from this conversation that it is not actually so scary.

I should mention by now that my conversation about faith with Marlee happened because it was a requirement for one of my classes but I’m glad that I had to do it, because it showed me not to be afraid to talk to my friends about Jesus. It was really just like any other conversation, it wasn’t weird anything.  

All in all, sitting and talking to Marlee was so awesome. I got to see and spend time with one of my good friends, I got to tell her a bit about Jesus, and I overcame the fear of talking to my friends about my faith.