a light in my room.

14 You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand and it gives light for everyone in the house.
16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:14-16

If ever I have known someone to embody the Gospel of Christ, to live the commands of the Word as if they were written on her heart each day, and to shine the light of Christ consistently, its my precious roommate Stacey. 

I saw Stacey for the first time my freshman year of college. She was visiting a camp friend at Union and she came with her to the Make-A-Wish 5K that Chi Omega put on each year. I saw her at a distance with one pants leg pushed up, crazy curls going everywhere, and a head band tied around her forehead. I thought she was a hippie, but she looked pretty exciting. 

I met Stacey for the first time my sophomore year of college. She transferred to Union from Appalachian State and I went with my roommate Lauren to her room on move in day. We were in search for Stacey's roommate Katie, but when she wasn't in the room Lauren and I talked with Stacey for almost 30 minutes. I had no idea the influence Stace would have on my life in the next two years.

Stacey rushed, pledge Chi O, but dropped after one semester. Second semester of my sophomore year she started spending a lot of time in my room as her and Lauren became close. At the end of the spring semester, Lauren asked if I would consider living with Stace in the fall. Let me just explain a little bit about Stacey: 

Get the picture? She's awesome. Crazy. Exciting. Wild. Fun. Hysterical. And more than I knew how to handle at the time. But we decided to live together in the fall of my junior year with Lauren and Kendra. Junior year started and I wasn't as close to Stace still. I was busy with GM stuff, and spent most of my time with the babies, or friends in 305, or asleep. I was missing out on the sweet roommates I had in my own room.

At the end of junior fall, I found out Mattie, Lauren and Olivia would all be gone in the spring semester. Stace instantly recognized my need for friendship and intentional relationships, something she is good at. Stace is a perceiver, she recognizes needs often before I know they exist. She is also intentional, and deliberate in her words of encouragement. This was something that God knew I would need this past semester.

As soon as we came back for this semester, God began using Stacey to rock my world and challenge my faith. Stacey is honestly one of the most devoted followers of Christ I have ever met. And I don't mean in the way where someone does a lot at church, but forgets about God in their everyday living. Stacey is legitimately on fire for God. She spends hours locked away in her room, crying, laughing, praying, worshipping and talking with God. She asks for guidance, she seeks wisdom, she lifts up those around her, she prays for the needs of her friends and enemies and strangers, she seeks the kingdom daily. She talks about God in her normal conversation, her lips are full of truth, and her conversation seasoned with salt and grace. She is joyful, hilarious, passionate, loving, patient, forgiving, honest, intentional, and kind-hearted. She uplifts, she is never selfish, she is always giving, always serving, always putting others first. In fact, she would hate that I have spent so much time bragging about her because she would rather me give the glory to God than talk about all the ways she is good.

But in all honestly, that is the only thing I can do to give justice to my Stacey. She is love, and God has used her radically to challenge me and hold me accountable and pour into my heart. God has given Stacey words of encouragement and wisdom that reflect a heart after Him. He has used her at my weakest moments to remind me of His faithfulness and goodness. When I am tired, she brings me Starbucks. When I am sad, she listens to me cry and gently prods me to share my life with her, despite my best attempts to convince her I have it under control. Stacey is truly a Godsend, the biggest blessing my life has ever known. I could never have imagined all the ways the Lord would challenge me through her. She embodies the Gospel definition of a servant, and for all the ways she has impacted the lives of those on this campus, we will never see until we worship in Heaven with the cluster of lives she has brought into the kingdom.