Love Journey: A Light Bulb Moment
The
church’s outside wall was made entirely of glass, so I could see him walking
toward the building. As the temporary
secretary for our smallish congregation I knew everyone, and I knew I had not
seen him before. “Oooo," I thought. “He's cute. I hope he comes back.”
I
don’t know that it was necessarily love at first sight, but it was definitely connection at
first sight. I made sure to introduce
myself and invited Clinton to sign the register, with his name, address, phone
number…
And then my
regular life continued, which included the fantastic guy I had been dating for
two years and planned to marry. Only, he
was away at college and I was commuting to George Mason University from home,
so we had agreed (entirely my idea) to date other people to “test” the
relationship. We were both young and I
wanted to be certain he was God’s will for me.
A few months later I sat down with God and
said, “Look, if Fantastic Guy and I are supposed to be married, you’re
going to have to let me know, and quickly.
The next step is to get engaged, so either You’re going to have to save
him or You’re going to have to send me something else.”
Two days
later, Clinton asked me out.
We dated a
bit, broke up, and dated again. After
several months and lots of praying, I sat down with God again and looked at
what I had with each guy.
Biggest. Light bulb. Moment. Of.
My. Life (to that date). Suddenly I knew, as surely as I knew my name
was Debbie, that Clinton was what God planned for me.
Could
Fantastic Guy and I have been happy? I
believe so. After all, he was a
fantastic guy. But it wouldn’t have been
God’s plan, and I knew enough to know God’s plan is tons better than mine.
Nearly
twenty-three years later we still have a terrific marriage and I still know it’s right, like I know my name is Debbie.
Only now, I
have a different last name.
Debbie Legg is your server today! Find out more about her here and don't forget to sign up for updates by email or RSS before you go.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
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Happily Ever After, The Prequel
I would consider myself as romantic as most ladies. I love a
good Austen, Green Gables, Downton Abbey-a-thon, like so many. This week I’ve been thoroughly enjoying the
little love stories unfolding on the Daily Fast Fuel and how the Lord has weaved His hand into each of my sisters' stories. As I read them, I’m
discovering more about how beautiful it is when heaven invades your love
story. Admittedly, I think hearing these
stories breeds such hope for me in this season of singleness- because each story is so different,
so varied. I am reminded how love can be
humorous, constant, patient, clear and mysterious. I’m encouraged that there is no formula or
pattern to try to follow to get to the altar – God’s got his own journey for
each of us. It releases grace over me – my great weapon when the lies of “you
missed your chance, and you’re not enough” creep into the camp.
No little lies, I’m afraid you’re wrong.
You just don’t know my story yet.
You’ve never seen anything like it- no one has.
Because there is only One who knows how this story goes.
You have found me in the prequel to my happily ever
after. God’s been working on an amazing
backstory – a beautiful backdrop.
Here in the prequel He is teaching me of love, of Himself,
of who I am.
Little lies, I am not broken or unwanted.
I am simply in the midst of the foundation and the creation of all that is to come.
At any moment the prequel might come to an end, and I will
marvel at the foundation God has built in this season. I will delight in the depth and richness of the backstory spent falling in love
with the One who first loved me. May the Lord grant hope and peace, to those who join me in the prequel season.
To the beauty of the next chapter.
“Love is patient." - 1 Corinthians 13:4
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
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Love Journey: A Walk in the Park
Of all the places to begin a love journey, Phillip and I
began ours on an American Heart Walk. I started the walk with an older friend and
coworker of mine, Lynn, a single mom who was as brazen a matchmaker as there
ever was. She spotted him first, walked ahead, shamelessly got his particulars,
returned and then told me to go talk to him. Shamelessly, I did.
I have no idea what happened to Lynn. But I crossed the
finish line walking side-by-side with a handsome new friend. Within a couple of
days, I asked HIM out (I am woman, hear me roar). Exactly a week later, we had
our first date…a day full of antiquing in which we discovered we both loved
finding a good story, especially one that was printed 100 years ago.
We thought we had found a good story in each other. We were
right. But, at that time, it didn’t unfold exactly was we anticipated it would.
Two months after we started walking together, we broke up.
Funny thing is, we kept “walking”.
Like many ended romances, we uttered the time-worn, “let's remain friends.” But the truth is, we actually did. For seven years.
I can’t explain why, but for some reason, even as our lives
took us in different directions (and to different states), we kept “walking”
together. Over time, a strong friendship grew from all that walking. Six years in, and from nearly
600 miles away, Phillip called me one day and asked if I would ever consider
dating him again. I brushed off the silly comment thinking, “this is a ‘My Best Friend’s Wedding’ moment. He is
nearing 30 and he just doesn’t want to be alone.” He’ll come to his senses. We’re just walking
here. I persistently avoided giving him an answer.
A year later, he asked me again. He apparently persistently
meant what he said.
I invited him to visit me in Chicago to investigate the
idea. There are many things I remember about that weekend. But, the moment that
remains most clear in my mind? Catching his eye in sea of people at O’hare and
watching him walk towards me. I just knew.
This “walk” was going to last a lifetime.
We walked down the aisle five months later and have been
walking side-by-side ever since. Our story hasn’t looked like your average love
journey. Nevertheless, it is a good one. And like my 1905 leather-bound copy of
Romeo and Juliet (see photo…a souvenir from our first date)…I hope ours will
continue to be a story of great love, precious enough to hang onto for 100
years.
“As you have heard
from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.” – 1 John 1:6
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
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Goin' To The Chapel
We were married there. He asked me to marry him there. And, in visit after visit before that, we covered our lives in prayer there.
I remember our long walks around it, the moments we prayed in the study rooms, the day he proposed in one of those rooms and the day we said "I do." I remember our pastor praying for us and the divine power surge as we knelt at the altar. Our first communion as spouses. The first kiss of our marriage. All in a place where we prayed regularly first.
It was my fairy tale wedding location--way out of our budget, but well within God's power to miraculously provide. I could think of nothing more romantic than getting married where we'd gotten engaged and there was nothing more powerful than knowing we'd laid a foundation of prayer in that very place. Some 18 years and a thousand miles later, we're still watching God fulfill the promises He gave us there. He began a good work in that chapel, and we're grateful that He has continued it. We're confident that there's a great deal more ahead and can't wait to see where the journey takes us from here.
"There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears." Philippians 1:6 MSG
Anitra Elmore is your server today! Find out more about her here and don't forget to sign up for updates by email or RSS before you go.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
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Love Journey: Over the Moon
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They did.
The entire freshman squad of the Ohio University wrestling team mooned our dorm.
2 years later, while on a date with George, it dawned on me.
"Wait! You wrestled as a freshman?"
"Yep."
"Ever run through Washington Hall with the team?"
"Yeah. The upper class-men on the team made us do "fun runs". We ran through the girl's dorms and then-" Light-bulb moment. Red cheeks . . . hardy har har.
"Mooned them?"
"Um, yeah?"
"I lived in Washington."
My future husband, ladies and gentlemen.
Our story is one of friendship, turned into "Woah, I dig her more than just a friend" (on his end) and "Shoot, I don't dig him in THAT way." (on my end). Only, God changed my mind. It was the first time I'd ever heard God talk audibly to me. "Go" was all God said when I was debating having lunch with George and his parents who were visiting for the day (mainly because I wanted a real lunch, rather than caf-faire.) God had other plans. That delicious Reuben sandwich was only the beginning. God said "Go". I got lunch. And a husband.
Sure, it's more in depth than this. But we are Daily FAST Fuel . . . gotta make it quick. My point?????
Listen.
God's voice isn't loud. But I heard him loud and clear that day. We just celebrated 21 years of marriage. George wasn't anything like the person I had dreamed up for myself.
God knew better.
He was right.
Joline Atkins is your server today! Find out more about her here and don't forget to sign up for updates by email or RSS before you go.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
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Love Journey
Last week we each shared about a biblical journey that had great impact on us. This week, we're getting a bit more romantic.
Before "Faithfully" pops into your head . . . oops, too late . . . let me give you a glimpse of what this week will entail.
I first "met" my husband when his college wrestling team mooned my dorm.
Ordained first meeting?
It was the beginning of a journey - I know that much . . . you'll have to tune in tomorrow for more.
Love journey.
Mooning is optional.
Joline Atkins is your server today! Find out more about her here and don't forget to sign up for updates by email or RSS before you go.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
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