God's Love Really DOES Change People

I’m sitting here while my friend is drying off from a shower. We’ve raced on horseback, we’ve been swimming, and we’ve done dramatic interpretations of history books. It’s funny now, looking back, to see how far we’ve come.
Last year, this girl spent the week at my house. The first night she was here, I cried. I didn’t know how someone could be so – well, mean. My parents told me it was our job to show her God’s love and to be her friend. It was hard, because she was so critical of everyone, but towards the end of the week she had become more comfortable around us. She quietly had told me that she was sick of people criticizing her – but she had become what she hated most.
This year, we all were shocked. Is this the same girl? Not once has she made fun of me, not once as she played the part of a bully. She is encouraging, sweet, thankful, and fun-loving. We’ve talked a bit about church, and I’m confident that she is a Christian. I want to spur her on to a deeper relationship with Christ this week.
I realize how much that unhappy week last year changed her life. I showed her what it’s like to have a friend – and to be one. Most of all, I realized that God’s love really does change people, that patience is a virtue, that revenge isn’t sweet, and that bitter people are the way they are because some hurt them.
Just something I thought I’d share.

Your Sister in Christ,
Melissa