“No!” Rowan cries out as she flies over the handlebars of her bike, luckily landing in the grass of a neighbor’s yard. She thought she was lucky she didn’t faceplant on the concrete until she realizes where she landed – in the yard belonging to Ezrah, her once best friend. Tears stream down her face as she tries to pick herself up.

“Ha ha ha! That was awesome, Rowan! Can you do it again? I didn’t get it all recorded and I know the entire school will find this hilarious!” Ezrah says from her porch swing. 

Rowan quickly pushes back the tears and wipes her face. She picks up her bike and notices her Bible is no longer in the front basket. Spotting the brown leather cover with her name engraved on it lying in the bright green grass, Rowan moves quickly to pick it up. 

“Get that Bible and your bike out of my yard!” Ezrah says in disgust. “Looks like you’re still falling for Jesus, Rowan – ha ha ha!” She teases. 

That night at dinner, Rowan tells her parents what happened that afternoon. Rowan’s mom tells her the best thing she can do is to pray for Ezrah. 

“It’s too bad she’s acting that way, you two used to be such good friends. She even came to our family camping spot every summer for years,” Dad says between bites of brussel sprouts. 

“Ever since I joined the youth group and asked Ezrah to go with me, she has been so mean to me,” Rowan says sadly. “She is even trying to turn the entire school against me. She carved “Jesus Freak” on my locker!”

“Well take that as a compliment, honey,” Mom says. “I’m a Jesus Freak and I’m proud of it!” 

A few days later, Rowan rides her bike to school and sees Ezrah walking ahead of her. Ezrah starts waving her arms in the air and Rowan wonders what she could be doing. Trying to keep her balance, Ezrah slips and falls face-first into a giant mud puddle. Rowan rides up to her and asks if she’s okay and if she needs any help. 

“No, I’m not okay, Rowan! Look at me, I’m soaked and I ripped a hole in my jeans. I’m going to be late for school now; I can’t show up looking like this!” Ezrah says fiercely. 

“You can make it if you take my bike. Ride home and change. You should make it if you hurry. Are you able to ride?” Rowan asks with a genuine car in her voice. 

“Why would you let me borrow your bike? I haven’t even been nice to you,” Ezrah admits. 

“Well, we were friends once. I honestly wish we still were. Plus, Jesus tells us to love our enemies even when they’re mean to us,” Rowan says, opening her coat to show her a shirt she got from camp last summer. The red shirt with big white letters across the front 

reads: “Jesus Freak.” Both girls laugh as Rowan helps Ezrah up and onto her bike. 

At lunch, Ezrah spots Rowan eating alone. She asks Rowan if the seat next to her is taken. “Please, join me,” Rowan replies with a large grin. 

“What are you doing sitting next to that Jesus Freak?!” some of Ezrah’s friends say, interrupting their lunch. 

Ezrah looks up at the girls and says, “Jesus Freak? Well, guess what guys? I’m starting to fall for Jesus too.”

Weekly Bible Verse: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, -Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭43‬-‭44‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Note to Nibble: Always choose love-in prayer, in your words, in your actions.