It Happened to Me....

It has been one of my hottest topics and one of my greatest passions. The life of love between young men and women. If you have been around me long then you've heard me talk about it. I have a passion to see young people live lives of purity and to do romantic relationships right... the Biblical way.
Well, here's the news. I am in a relationship. Yes, really. I've lived the life of the single and "waiting" girl and I thought I would for several more years, but God had a different plan.


See, the one I love ended up being a family friend and honestly, a brother of sorts. His name is Josh. He was the one that you wouldn't really think would end up in a relationship with me or visa-versa. His life was completely different than mine, but since the day I met him when I was 11, I was drawn to him. Josh was just another guy in the youth group and was old enough to be the one who kept an eye on me and I remember him looking after me often. He was fun and I always loved to be around him. Years passed and our paths separated in 2007 when he went to seminary. Things changed and I didn't hear from him for years. It wasn't long after my 16th birthday that he came back and became involved in my church. My Dad and him became good friends and he often came with us on family ventures. He was like part of the family. He was always around. He was just... Josh.


In July of 2011, Josh headed off to Parris Island, South Carolina. I'll give you one guess, boot camp... in the Marines. For some odd reason I missed him a lot more than I thought I would. I wrote him letters along with my family and tried to encourage him. The three months passed by slowly and in late October my family headed to South Carolina to see him graduate. He came home for 10 days and during that time I learned that he was an incredibly strong man in the Lord. Having only the Lord for strength for 3 months in brutal boot camp had made him rock solid. We became closer and talked a lot. He left again and this time I missed him more than ever. And what I didn't know was that he missed me too.

Six weeks passed and while he slept in ditches and trained in the dark woods, eating nasty "meal readys", I was in Africa. I found that I thought more about him there than I had in North Carolina. My Daddy worked with me through it and I kept no secrets from him. After arriving home, I was told by Mom that Josh had moved to Mississippi for more training. I was deeply disappointed. Mississippi??? I was so confused. Josh and I talked back and forth on Facebook, sporadically, and before long he told me he would be home for Christmas. Sure enough, a few days before Christmas I saw him at church. Yet again, my family spent much time with him. But this time, I noticed that he preferred my presence, and I preferred his. We went bowling with my family and, later, with friends. We spent Christmas Eve at my grandparents house and Christmas was splendid. However, time couldn't stand still and a few days later he was leaving. All I knew was that something had to give. I knew that things were beyond just friendship between us and though neither of us had said anything, something just had to give. Josh and my Dad had a conversation about a Josh's potential relationship with me and it concluded with Josh promising to pray about God's will with it. I didn't have to do anything! Dad handled it! You got to love him!

Josh headed back to Mississippi, but we kept closer contact and talked frequently. A few weeks later, after asking for my Dad's permission and discussing the purpose behind his intentions, Josh asked for a relationship with me. A relationship with me is a big thing. Not because I'm great or anything, because I'm NOT, but simply because a relationship means something big. Dad and I talked a lot and agreed on the purpose. The purpose is for more much more than recreation. Josh and I talked via skype and chats and texts for over 3 months. We kept romantic words to almost nothing and instead challenged and encouraged each other. We agreed to protect each other's hearts. Many, many times Josh had hard days and exams, but we prayed. We became a team. Our friendship grew and because it was built on a Biblical foundation and we were trying to put God in the middle, it blossomed, even though we were 600 miles apart.

As time went on, we skyped more and grew closer. These past few months crawled by. Well, this past weekend, Josh came home for the first time in 101 days (since he left at Christmas)! We spent a lot of time together. We kept it family based and remained with someone in my family to keep things safe. Seeing him for the first time since this relationship began was amazing. I wouldn't trade these past three days for anything. Telling him bye yesterday as my family sent him off was the furthest thing from easy. It was hard and it hurt, but I clinged and a still cling to my Father and rest in the truth that Josh and I are both forever in His hands.

Josh and I continue to walk this journey. We know only that God is guiding us and we will follow where He leads. It is incredible to finally live out some of the things I've blogged about. I tell you all of this to really say, keep waiting single people! God's not going to hide that special person. He brings them out right when it's time. I don't do anything perfect, but I am trying to do what the Bible says with the support of my family and friends and Josh in this relationship. A relationship God's way is always best. Even if it is only over blurry skype sessions and through texts. It's worth it. I wouldn't trade anything for the "skype prayers" Josh and I share.

He is still in the Marines and I don't get to see him much, but we will follow the Lord's plans as they come and I will pray for patience for both of us. Life may seem muddy and confusing sometimes, yet God sees it all and I don't have to worry about the future.

There it is. The story. Some may say I fell in love with a solider, but I say God brought us to love. True love is only from the Father and it's the best kind. "We love because He first loved us..."