Sisters are one of God’s greatest gifts in this world, and as I get older the more and more I understand this. When you’re young, your big sister is THE girl. She’s your role model and the person you want to be just like. So you do everything she does, dress like she does, and talk like she does. You do these things without actually realizing it. The older the two of you get, the more you strive to be like her; and the more you strive to be like her the more she complains about how you want to be like her.

This was no different for me and my sister, Lauren. I grew up mimicking her to the point of her being super irritated with her “annoying little sister,” and I’ll admit she was right; I was super annoying. But there was no doubt, my sister was the coolest and I wanted to be just like her (even if I said otherwise). However, if we are honest Lauren and I weren’t the best of friends in middle school and high school. Now don’t get me wrong we weren’t enemies, we just simply didn’t get along very often. I’m not sure I’ve ever met sisters who have never gone through the phase of not getting along. So just being a baby sister to Lauren was normal to me and I didn’t expect much more. Little did I know that one day she was going to be the greatest example, helper, leader, and friend in my life.

It is amazing what growing up and maturing can do for a relationship between sisters. I have had the privileged to become closer to my sister in the last three months than I ever have been in eighteen years. Now that’s not a bad thing; I think God was waiting for me to realize that I needed my sister more than I thought I did. She is my go to girl for everything. She is always there. She listens, she laughs with me, and she makes this stressful, crazy time of life so fun. Sisters are someone you can count on and be yourselves with. I don’t have to worry about what she thinks of me because I know she will love me know matter what. Thankfully, I got lucky and had Lauren to help me adjust to college and being away from home. God knew what he was doing when He made me the baby sis, because goodness knows I could never have taught her the things she teaches me on the daily.

Needless to say, sisters are the best and the make life more fun. I cannot imagine this life without my big sister and I’m so very thankful for her Christ-like example in my life. I think it took me being away from my mom to realize just how much I needed my sister, and dare I say it, I think she just might need me too. So all you little sisters just remember, sisters start out required friends and sooner or later become best friends by choice. And for that I am forever grateful.

p.s. to my big brother, Josh, I love you equally, but it’s just a girl thing. J