I pulled up to the grand, old white house just next to the college. It was modest, but charming. It had a great big green front porch complete with white swing and matching chairs. There were posts supporting the structure that were just begging to have a couple of hammocks hung from them. I hesitated a bit before I went in. I really only knew the person I was sharing an immediate room with, and I only knew her distantly. I had it on good authority that she was not, in fact, a serial killer so that was good enough for me. The thought lingered in my mind: “There are five more girls in this house besides my roommate and myself. Seven total. I've never really met or known the other five.” This thought terrified me. I'm generally an introvert that does not enjoy putting myself out there much. Not only was I going to have to make friends with five people I didn't really know, but I was going to have to live in a house with them. We would have to share everything.

I sucked in my breath and entered through the door. I moved everything in while all my fears and anxiety packed up and moved out.

These girls were my people.

These were the people that I had been asking God to send me for so long. I prayed diligently for a community of people I could plug myself in to that would challenge me and help me to grow more and more each day in my Christian walk. These girls taught me the quality of having fun and building a beautiful community on our front porch.

These girls changed me in only two weeks.

In two weeks they gave me the courage to unashamedly be myself. Not only in my comfort zone, but all over campus. They showed me what it means to deep belly laugh every single hour.

I have known more joy in the beginning of this school year than I have known in a long time. These housemates I live with are the answers to prayers that I had not even realized I had been praying so often. We are all so different. We have different majors, different hobbies, different backgrounds, and different interests. But we share a mutual love for the Lord and for the community we have diligently built on our little green porch with the hammocks and the white swing.

One of the defining characteristics of a community is “unity.” A community of people sharing the same interests and love have to be completely in tune with each other. After that first day together, we were unified. Only God can do something that amazing that fast.

Finding community can change you. You tend to act like the people you are around. You are basically always around the people you live with. Those people can make or break you. Thankfully I have been given a group of housemates that love, cherish, and encourage everyone they come in contact with. I hope you will find the same thing some day in some form or fashion. But until you do, pray for your people. Because I promise you when you find them, your life will forever be changed!