I'm Thankful for the Love Story my God Wrote for Me

I'm thankful this year because of the beautiful love story that God wrote for me. Here it is:

She was a senior at Mars Hill Bible School. It was March, and she was counting down the days to graduation. The days to getting out of that place, and finally moving to Henderson. She couldn’t wait until she would FINALLY be a student at Freed-Hardeman University. It was all she had dreamed of since she was in the 7th grade.

She had never dated anyone before. Never even kissed anyone, for that matter. Not that she didn’t want to; but no one was ever really interested (God had a reason for that, which will be revealed later). In fact, she wanted her love story so desperately. She was the epitome of hopeless romantic. At different points in her teen years, she longed to have a boyfriend. To have someone special. To have someone that thought she was “worth fighting for.” Someone that thought she was lovely. Someone to love. Someone to love her. And then one day, she realized that she already had that Someone. His name was Jesus Christ. So she stopped worrying. She knew. She knew He was writing her love story. And she knew she just had to be patient until He was ready. Because she learned that she had to be willing to drop it all and run on His schedule.

When she finally stopped worrying and submitted her life to Him, she decided that in the meantime (until He was ready to bring Prince Charming into her life) she would use all of her spare time to focus on God. And to grow into a deeper, more meaningful relationship to Him. She became a lover of God and of all things Godly and spiritual. She prayed for her Prince Charming often. She prayed for his safety, his success, his purity, and many other things. She even prayed that he might even be a minister. She wanted a man that was as committed to God as she was. And if was committed to sharing the Gospel, he must be the “man after God’s own heart” that she was looking for.

When she became a Senior in high school, she couldn’t help but think in the back of her mind “maybe God will introduce him (Prince Charming) to me when I get to Freed-Hardeman.” This caused her to anticipate and be excited about going there more than ever before. She had planned everything. She was going to room with her best friend, Haley Behel. She had scholarships and grant money lined up. And for Freed-Hardeman, she had scored a pretty awesome financial deal. She made frequent trips to the campus to meet people, make connections. And she prayed about it constantly. She prayed about the Prince she hoped God would bring to her.

But in March of 2009, before she ever reached graduation, she was stopped in her tracks. With plans to go to FHU, room with her best friend, and even a guy she was talking to who was also going to FH, she was brought to a screeching halt. On a Wednesday night, at church, she met him. AND THEN IT STARTED.

He was a Freshmen at Heritage Christian University. He was pursuing a degree in Biblical Studies. He was the youth minister at East Colbert, one of the local congregations. He had beautiful brown eyes and light brown hair that, ironically, was almost the exact shade of hers. He dressed respectably. He was there that night on a campaign with HCU and he took part in the service. He spoke. He spoke about grace. “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound.” And it was eloquent.

She was so set on her plans for FH, and wasn’t even thinking of the option that she might meet Prince Charming right now. She knew he must be waiting for her in Henderson. But she wanted to encourage these Bible students. They had noble goals, after all. So she walked out to the foyer and met different ones, hoping to encourage them in their work for the Lord.

Then she walked up to him. And he was so kind. So gentle. So genuine. And the conversation was so easy.

After the services that evening, the youth group was going to stay and sing for a while. The Bible students were invited to join. Both of them stayed. Both of them worshipped and sang praises to God that night, across from their future spouse. And neither had a clue.

Little did either of them know, this was it. This was that once-in-a-lifetime moment. Neither had any idea that night, in March 2009, that the two of them would be married in December of 2010. In fact, they probably would have thought you were crazy if you told them.

And they are living Happily Ever After.

When Dreams Come True

When I read this, I fall to my knees in thankfulness to God. There was a time in my life when I wondered if this statement was true. I didn't have the family that I wanted. My life at home wasn't the "Christian" life that I so desperately desired. I hated my life in a lot of ways, and I loved God so much. And I couldn't understand why God hadn't placed me into a situation where my family lived the same life that I sought-one that led to heaven. I couldn't understand what I had done to "deserve" the punishment I felt like I was dealt. But I held on. I held on when I read this passage. I prayed. I trusted God with every ounce of trust I could muster.

It paid off. My dreams came true! The life that I am living right now is the life that I dreamed of as a young girl. I love everything about it. I love my husband. I love that he is a man of God. I love working so closely with the church. I love attending Heritage Christian University where I can learn more and more about God. I love the future that I dream of. I love the children that I dream of. I love the family that we have and the family I can imagine in the future. I love everything about it, and I have no one to thank for it but God. God has blessed me with this life that I live. I haven't earned it. But I am so thankful for it.

All those years ago, when I was so afraid that things would never change, God's promise held true. He did (does) have a future for me. His plans for me were (are) to give me a future and a hope. And He has blessed me in ways that I can never thank Him enough for.

I fall down in worship is I reminisce, awestruck, about the impact He has had and is having on my life each day that I live and each breath that I take.

Dear God,
Thank you. You have blessed me so richly. You have given me such a wonderful life. Your hand in my life has been so clear, so obvious, and so amazing. I am awestruck by your presence. Please help me to never take this for granted. Please stir in me, daily, a desire to live my life in a way that glorifies and thanks You for all that You have done. And please, God, if we are ever blessed with children, start molding me now. Do what it takes to turn me into the type of woman you would have a mother to be. And if we are blessed with children someday, give us wisdom to show them Your way. Give us wisdom to teach them Your way in a way that sticks, so that they will grow in the faith and be Yours forever. Thank you for giving me a future with a hope already. And I pray that the future with a hope that you've promised will continue to unfold in my life. And I pray that I will continue to recognize Your hand in it and give you every bit of the glory for it.
Amen.