To Simply Be Loved by Emily Weaver

“Sometimes the sign comes through another person, sometimes it comes from an event in our lives, and other times it feels like a kick in the pants.”

Growing up, I never had the loving or easiest family life. My parents were always arguing and fighting, they fell out of love. I never had a true example of what love is and what it would even look like. While they never divorced, there has always been such an intense strain on their relationship, which impacted my view of what love “should look like”. For years, I was angry about not knowing what love truly was. I always turned to God in anger and frustration over what the word “love” even meant, let alone what it felt like to experience the feeling of “love”. I had never truly explored dating until my senior year of high school, and when I did, I found myself feeling betrayed, belittled, and left feeling that I was never good enough. The summer going into my freshman year of college, I had just gotten out of a toxic friendship with a guy and found myself physically ill. Due to the illness, I had lost 15 pounds due to being unable to eat or drink, unable to sleep because I could not breathe, and I was extremely weak. On top of being sick, I just lost my “best friend” and only friend due to the toxicity of this “friendship”. I was broken, frustrated, and incredibly depressed. Looking ahead, I was ready to enter college with a clean slate, change who I was, and turn away from God. However, that was not God’s plan for me.

My first week at my university, I met my best friend. We were on the cheerleading team together and we found each other when we both felt like “misfits” on the team when we were the only ones that declined an invitation to go to a preseason party with the rest of the team. We both yearned for something deeper, and we quickly found that we were both searching for a deeper relationship with Christ and we were both looking for a sister in Christ that we could run toward heaven with. During the first few weeks of my freshman year, she invited me to have dinner with her friend group. Little did I know at the time, this friend group would become like family to me during my time in college and beyond. This group of people inspire me everyday to become more Christ-like and to show all those around me what compassion truly means. This group of people accepted me with wide open arms, have shown me what love truly means, and what it feels like to be loved. Looking back, I can not even begin to imagine what my life would be like if I wouldn’t have met my best friend. Four years later- she asked me to be a bridesmaid at her wedding.

Meeting my best friends truly pulled me out of the darkest and scariest time in my life. A sister once told me that sometimes, God speaks to us through signs. “Sometimes the sign comes through another person, sometimes it comes from an event in our lives, and other times it feels like a kick in the pants.” This sign felt like all the above! It was evident, His message was clear. I was headed down a terrible, dark, and violent path. This group had become family that is running toward Christ together as one. When one falls, we all help to pick each other up and keep charging toward Him. Through this group, I had found my worth in Him and I know that I am enough to be loved. Most importantly, I know what it feels like to simply BE loved.

Let this be your sign- do not be afraid to say “Yes” to His all encompassing, unconditional love and “No” to earthly, societal pleasures. Follow the signs that lead deeper into His love. Do not be afraid to allow Him to work in the darkest, locked areas of your heart. When you say “Yes” to His love, your life becomes filled with simple joy and genuine happiness.

ABOUT EMILY WEAVER: Emily is from Latrobe, Pennsylvania and will be graduating with her Masters degree in Occupational Therapy from Saint Francis University in Loretto, PA in May of 2023. She completed a Youth Ministry internship at her home parish of Our Lady of Grace and had the opportunity to work with kids and young adults Kindergarten through 12th grade. In college, Emily was involved heavily in the Campus Ministry program where she served as a FOCUS student leader and was the head student sacristan for the Chapel on campus.