A Year of Surprises, Trials, and the Unexpected

October 7, 2015

 

I got engaged. Me of all people got engaged to a man I am eternally grateful for.

Somehow, I have to catch you all somewhat up to speed with me. I wouldn’t know where to begin since I made this blog centered on fitness and health and have not spoken much about Luke!

Luke in a nutshell:

• Loyal
• Good listener
• Caring (treats me like a princess…literally, it’s crazy)
• Christ-centered
• Athletic
• Smart
• Hard worker
• Obnoxious (the things he does…men have funny ways of expressing love)
• Funny
• Soon-to-be Army Chaplain

That’s right. That last bullet…not only will I be a PW (pastor’s wife), I am also going to be an Army Wife! You all have no idea how far that was from who I thought I would end up with. I never wanted anything to do with the army, because I was scared. Terrified. I would say: “I’d never be strong enough for that. I just know that one day, an officer would show up at my house to tell me my husband would not be coming home.” Now here I am. Giving myself to a relationship that I never thought would be possible.

How did I make this change?

How did I go from: “I’ll never marry. I’ll never get involved with the Army. I’ll be single for the rest of my life, and I LIKE it that way.”

Let’s start with God. Like it or not, take it or leave it: God is the reason.

As I may have mentioned way back in a previous entry, I was a very pessimistic person after many relationships gone wrong. I chose then to simply have fun, not suffer any repercussions, and not get too close ever again. With that kind of attitude, I was nowhere near ready for Luke–my future husband.

After a while, I got fed up.

I was done feeling meaningless to the guys I devoted time to. I was done feeling like I was getting nowhere fast and that no matter how many hearts I stole, I was never going to feel fulfilled. There was a hole (which is still not entirely filled, but I’m getting there) and no amount of meaningless familiarities and sentiments would gratify me.

God is the answer.

And so I turned to Him. Lent season 2014, I told God I was done: “From here on out, it’s just you and me, God. No one else. I only want you.” For all of Lent season, from February to April, I worked on my heart and on restoring my relationship with God.

Luke messaged me that June while he was in Lithuania for an ROTC trip.

That summer, I knew for a fact I was done with heartless relationships. However, I didn’t think or know for a fact that Luke was going to treat me better than all the rest. I was prepared full-heartedly for the downfall.

Well, we started dating October 31st 2014, and 11 months and seven days later, Luke proved that he was not like anyone else I’ve ever met. In that time span from June of 2014 to now in December of 2015, my heart has changed radically for the better. This is all such a crash course of what God has been doing in my life, but let me tell you all that had I not stepped out of my old ways and directed my whole heart and life to Him, I would NOT have been ready for Luke, the Army life, and the future God has had planned for me.

I am praying for you all, that this Christmas season, you will not wait so long like I did. That you will not dwell on bitter memories and hold tight to them to protect you. I promise you that God will protect you.

Thank you for reading, xoxo

Wedding Date: June 17, 2016