I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason.
God has a plan. I think coincidences are what a non-believer calls a “God
thing.”
I am also a firm believer that Fanning 108 was a God thing
in my life.
Last August when I moved to Lipscomb, the first place I
found myself was the building I would call my home for the next 10 months:
Fanning Hall. My family and I (mostly
them, since I was still under a nothing over 5 pounds lifting limit thanks to
spine surgery only two months prior) began unpacking my over-stuffed jeep and
making my empty dorm room a little more home-y. I never knew when I walked
through the doors of Fanning Hall room 108 that day that my life would be
impacted so much by one place.
Some things you should know about Fanning:
1. The rooms are
suite style.
2. There are four double
rooms, a living room, and a bathroom to share.
3. If you did the math, that is 8 girls in one room.
Kayla. Caroline. Emily. Graysen. Kaylin. Olivia. Elise. Lauren.
Fanning 108. Eight strangers. One room.
As you can imagine, living with seven other people is a
learning experience all in its own. But those girls taught me so much more than
how to co-exist with people. But here are just a few of the more tangible things I learned:
1.
Open up your heart and intentionally seek
relationships with the people God places in your life. They are there for a
reason. Love them well, share your
thoughts and heart, leave letters and go on spontaneous coffee dates to
talk. Let people in and He will do
amazing things in your relationships.
2.
Always put the correct size trash bag in the
trashcan. If you try to put in a smaller
one, it might get over-filled and burst open when you go to take it out. Trust me.
I am speaking from personal experience. (also, beware that people will take your picture and post on snap chat if you are a victim of the trash bag
3.
Weekend road trips with a car full of friends
are not valued nearly as much as they should be. Take them often. Sing too loudly the whole way there. Also, long car rides can often lead to some
pretty deep, heart-felt conversations.
4.
Fish don’t die.
Fanning 108 was also home to Peta and Joy (our two Lipscomb-dorm-illegal
beta fish). I am fairly certain that
their mason jars were filled with Holy Water because they have both been
presumed dead multiple times yet are still swimming around to this day. Seriously, thank you, Lord, for bringing them back
to life when we forgot to feed them.
5.
Be open minded.
When your room is filled with people from all different places (Tennessee,
Kentucky, Illinois, Maine, and California) and all different backgrounds, you
are bound to have some new views on the world, life, and love. Listen to people’s journey and opinions. You never know, they might just open up your
heart.
6.
Pen comes off the wall with soap and water, but
sometimes the writing doesn’t need to be washed off. Sometimes poorly written words on a clean,
white dorm wall can more meaningful than you ever imagined. (Olivia left this message
on the wall on the day we moved out: “tip:love your roommates. They just might
become your family.”)
7.
The community that God creates when he unites Believers is powerful and good. Late
night bible studies were a regular occurrence in dear Fanning 108 and some of
my favorite conversations were born of our evening heart checks and prayer
requests. Long, heart-felt prayers with your friends are one of life’s biggest
blessings. Say them often.
I am so thankful for Fanning 108 and the people that filled
it. I’m thankful for the ways my mind
and heart were changed because of the people I encountered. I’m thankful for
heart-to-hearts at 2 AM and spontaneous dance parties and embarrassing snap
chat stories and piling five girls in one twin bed to watch The Bachelor and a
million trips to Taco Mamacita and snow days in the room and long prayers for
great people.
Thank you, Fanning 108. For everything.
"love each other as I have loved you" John 15:12
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