The First Time I Met God by Sarah Neve

I first met God
in the dim lighting
of my friend’s dorm
when we cried together
about missing home.

I met God in the passing
huffs of strangers as we
all struggled to climb
endless stairs to class.

I met God in the familiar
squeeze of choir,
blending voices with
my greatest found family.

I met God wandering
down trails by the lake,
in constant chatter or
distant solitude.

I met God when I met
friends who thrived together
in snow and summer warmth,
in midterms and after graduating.

I met God in the good
people I learned to surround
myself with, when we were
all dropped off the deep end

together.

Sarah Neve graduated with a BA in Creative Writing and was co-editor of the literary magazine on campus. She has participated in National Novel Writing Month for the past eight years, writing a 50,000+ word novel each November. Her poems have been published in a few print publications, including Studio One and The Live Poets Society. She also won the Center for Mission Essay Writing Contest. When she’s not reading or writing, you can find her planning her next great travel adventure and ignoring the dwindling funds in her bank account.