My Tree

There is a tree on the campus of Abilene Christian University in Texas that is very special to me. I sat under it many times contemplating life . It was under this tree that I first began to realize the power of prayer.

When I first started college at ACU, I had one friend there. She was my best friend in High School and we lived next door to each other in the dorm. But soon after we started college she started dating a boy and spent a lot of time with him.
That meant I was now ALONE!

I had one of the lowest self esteems (not sure you can pluralize that word?) imaginable!~ I was always very shy but being in a college with all new people was overwhelming to me. My Mother worked at the college and, even though I loved to see her beautiful face every day, I did not want her to know how lonely I was. For that reason I often refrained from going to see her after chapel. I knew she would wonder why I wasn't hanging out in the student center with everyone else. So, instead, I would go to my tree-- and cry.

My tree was next to the theater on campus. It was large for a West Texas tree and gave me a covering to hide my shame of loneliness. I would sit there until it was time for my next class and, by then, all the kids who were socializing and mingling at the student center had left for their classes as well.

But finally one day, I decided that instead of feeling sorry for myself, I would ask God to bless me with some friends. I didn't have a clue how to get one. My best friend in high school had befriended me when we were in grade school and there weren't many others knocking down my door to be friends with me. They probably thought I was a snob since I would mostly ignore people-- not knowing how to appropriately talk to anyone.

So there I sat for months--alone, praying, and really hoping that God could give me some friends. And before my freshman year was over, HE did! God answered my prayers . It did not come easy, but I believe HE gave me the strength to go out and start talking to people. He gave me favor and He gave me some of the best friends I could ever want. I am still friends with many of them today!

God has blessed me with many good friends over the years. Each one I consider a precious gift to me, because I believe God is still answering those prayers offered up many years ago under a tree in Texas!

to email Carol regarding this post : carolrtexas2@aol.com