Sam and I met our Junior year of college at The University of Georgia. We had both recently been accepted in the College of Education. We were taking an elementary art class, and I recognized Sam's face from our recent meet-and-greet session after our acceptance into the program. We glanced over our schedules, and we noticed that we had many classes together. I was excited and relieved to have someone I "knew" in my classes. Our friendship quickly formed, and I was so blessed to have her in the program with me. Sam lived with Kate, who went to the same high school as me, so we already had some connections. We enjoyed the usual college activities, and we remained close friends after college as well.
Senior year of college is supposed to be great! We had student teaching for 10 weeks, and we were thrilled to get away from campus. Graduation was quickly approaching. However, a tragic car accident turned everything around. Sam's best friend and roommate, Kate Lindsley, was driving them on a camping trip during Spring Break and was struck by a truck coming in the other direction. Sam sustained serious neck injuries, but Kate did not survive. Sam's book, In the Mourning: Awakening to Joy After a Night of Grief, retells the event, as well as the grieving and healing process. Through her grief, she discovered a lot of things about herself, but more importantly, she grew closer to the Lord. Her story is so beautifully written, and it is a true testament that God is still a miracle worker. If you are interested, you can purchase the book off Amazon or at Barnes and Noble. Even if you haven't experienced any substantial grief, her book is an inspiring story to read. Her theme verse for her book is from Psalm 30:5, "His anger only lasts a moment, but His favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but JOY comes in the morning."
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