I'm not the kind of person who jumps into things without careful deliberation. But, that night, I had some time to kill and my friend was very persistent. So, I walked over to the Union where the meeting was taking place.

I entered the room hesitantly, unsure of what to expect. My friend had had an amazing experience at the same event the night before, but I'm not inclined to be optimistic about social situations. Some current members immediately greeted me, and I saw someone I knew across the room. They called her over and we talked for a bit about Phi Lamb and why I was there.

Before they began the presentation, they had a craft area where girls were making flower crowns. I decided to try my hand at it. It was there that I saw another girl I recognized. We had had a class together in the Spring, and we were from the same city.

I learned a lot from the presentation about who Phi Lamb is and what they do. Their slogan is Sisters for the Lord. Their official statement is: Sigma Phi Lambda (ΣΦΛ) is a Christian sorority that strives to glorify God by providing a source of fellowship for college women who sincerely seek to know His person, His will, and His ways. It is a non-denominational organization of sisters where fellowship with our most high God is fostered by growth in unity with one another. Through weekly meetings that include worship, encouragement, fellowship, and accountability, Phi Lamb provides an alternative to Panhellenic sororities. Sigma Phi Lambda is not presently, nor will it ever be Panhellenic.

They do community service projects, weekly prayer group meetings, retreats, and fellowship events that range from casual get-togethers to fancy dances.

After the part of the presentation that covered costs, I was a bit apprehensive. The dues are not too high compared to traditional sororities, but they are still a commitment. Once I pay them, there's no turning back. The officers required the potential new members to have a brief introduction meeting with them in the following days. I signed up to meet with them the next day.

Before I left, I decided to finish my flower crown. I got help from a few girls who were better at it than I was. When it came time to add the ribbon to keep it on my head, one girl was nice enough to help me. I kneeled down in front of her and she measured my head and cut the ribbon for me. My impression of her was the same as my impression of most of the girls there: she was surprisingly sincere. She was kind to me with no ulterior motives even before she knew whether or not I was technically deserving of her kindness.

My introduction meeting with the officers allowed me to ask a lot of pressing questions and get satisfactory answers. Not only did I ask technical questions, but I also asked about their personal experience with Phi Lamb and why they thought it was worth joining. When they asked me at the end of the meeting if I wanted to join, I said probably. I would make my final decision after Open Chapter that Sunday night.

Potential new members were invited to sit in on a Chapter meeting of the active members. It would give them a chance to see how the meetings are structured and how the girls interact with each other. I sat by the friend who had encouraged me to go to the informational meeting. We sang some worship songs, which I really enjoyed, and the Chaplain gave a devotional on the importance of friendship and fellowship. We closed with more worship and ended the meeting with a thank you to God.

I enjoyed it and was about ready to make my decision. However, in the past, I had been part of groups that tended to exclude me, whether intentionally or not. So I told myself I would only join if at least three girls I didn't know came up to me before I left. Five did. That was my sign from God that I belonged there. Two of the girls were potential new members. One of them was a friend that my friend bought.

We all drove together to the induction and New Member Retreat the following weekend. I won't get into all the details, but it was a fun time where I got to meet and bond with my fellow new members, try to reteach myself how to skate, play games, and answer a thorough questionnaire.

By the time you're reading this, I will have gone to an event where I met my "big," who will be like a sister to me in prayer, accountability, and friendship. I am excited for this new chapter in my life and look forward to what the future holds. I thank God for giving me this opportunity and for lavishing me with love and blessings when I least deserve it.