ALONE?

August 26, 2021

Publisher’s Note

September can be a month marked by the making of new friends, new activities, and new challenges. It can also be a time of loneliness. As a child growing up, the start of the school year was always very apprehensive for me. I was not quick to introduce myself or make friends. When I went to college, the apprehension grew into a mountain! Of all things, I chose to go to a school where there was not a single member of my high school class attending- I was ALONE! I knew no one other than a boy from elementary school my mother had somehow resurrected. He had his own college plans! On top of that, I had spent the summer away from home. When September rolled around and I was on my way to Nashville, I was ready to settle back into Birmingham!

I will never forget my parents leaving me with a group of freshmen in the center of the Vanderbilt campus. I begged my mother not to leave me, but she did. I later learned my father pretty much dragged her away. During those first few months of loneliness, my phone calls home were frequent, often late at night. My precious mother never once told me I was calling too late! She did however remind me that I was not alone. God was with me, and He had big plans for me. Of course, my response at the time was, “Yeah, right!” But as mothers often are, she was right, and little did she know I was listening. I spent those first few months growing closer to God and communicating more often with Him. Time passed, and by the second semester, I loved my school and all my new friends.

I share this story with you as a reminder and reassurance that we are never really alone. God has given us the special gift of communicating with Him anytime, anywhere! It is a communication tool I find to be my strongest link to keeping in touch with what God has planned for me and, of course, being reminded of the fact that I am never alone. He is always with me in whatever challenge I face. As we step into the busy schedule of September, I encourage you to keep the communication open! When the going gets tough, talk to HIM!

-Laurie Stroud Franklin