Love is a journey... Part 1

And we started our journey March 12, 2011. Sunday evening when we were at my home church in Derby Kansas. Not "us" technically. Nick went to a Bible college from the North side of Wisconsin. The Lord has led him to travel with the ministry team that went around, well, ministering to various churches and school's, recruiting students for the college. The team was in my hometown for a two-day weekend, to have a youth activity with the teens, be in charge of Sunday school for them, then have an activity for the College and Career aged group of people as well.

I was busy with work, closing up the place every weekend night, which means 1-2 a.m. evenings. This meant I did not make it to Sunday school, just church - barely. This particular Sunday, I had no idea this team of all guys from a Bible school were going to be in town. (Crazy for a single girl to not know, right?!) So, I walked in a few minutes late to a guy at the podium I had never seen before, but would like to have.

I quickly found my family, squeezed in the pew, and sat down taking mental notes of the other heads I could only view the back of. "Darn it", I said to myself, thinking this would have been a good to day be on time, or even a little early. Any other team we had come to our church had mostly woman in them and if there were men, they were all engaged, married, or, honestly, not that good to look at. This team, however, was a little different. If, you know what I mean!

That afternoon, I didn't think much of it. I had a lot going on that day, so my mind was somewhere else. My sister and I took the day to go horseback riding for my first time. Throughout that time, my poor foot was stepped on by the hoof of a 30,000,000 pound horse (again, not really, but the point is made.)! My sister, Elise, came away with more sustained injuries after being thrown quite a few feet from a rather brat-like horse, in my profession opinion! My thoughts were engaged elsewhere, to say the least.

That is, until we arrived home, at my parents' home for the afternoon. As we told our sleepy-looking parents our stories of the day and started thinking about whether or not we would make it to church that evening, my mind went to those five handsome strangers of which I had no existed until that very morning. I thought about it, and decided I should go. I was very single, after all. While deciding what to wear for the service and the activity afterwards, I chose my trusty KU basketball shirt since they had a game that night I would watch later on. So with my Kansas blue shirt, capri's and tennis, I was out the door. But before I left, I shouted back to my two younger sisters, "Don't wait up for me, I'm gonna go meet my future husband tonight!"....

Top ten [known] changes this year:

 1. I am going to be a wife.
 2. I am going to get a husband.
 3. My last name will change.
 4. I am moving out of state.
 5. I'm turning 23
 6. I will quit my job and start a new one in Arkansas.
 7. I am gaining a mother and father-in-law.
 8. I will start running my own house (or apartment).
 9. I got engaged.
 10. I will be attending a new church, with my new husband, and we will be starting a different kind of  ministry together.

These are just the changes that we are aware of so far. I cannot even describe the level of excitement for starting a new life with someone, and the balanced level of uncertainty with leaving my current life, living conditions, job, friends... The list can go on and on. However, for times sake, I shall stop there.

As an update for those who may not have known about #6, my fiancé got a job in Arkansas as an Assistant pastor at a Bible church. We are ecstatic (and nervous!) about this new direction the Lord is having us take right before we start our new life together. We ask for prayer and wisdom on other decisions we have to make and that God would give us abounding grace to get through these changes. 

Faithfully

Four weeks ago, Nick and I started reading a book called "When God Writes Your Love Story" and we loved every minute of it, no matter how grueling it may have been to read about how we have failed. But we know that God is always faithful, even if we aren't. This song is one that the authors wrote together and sang themselves when they were much younger. They have a truly amazing story and I can't wait to start reading "When Dreams Come True" by Eric and Leslie Ludy as well. 

We love the book we read together, and will now embark on reading the next one together. Lord willing, we will get a lot of out seeing a Christ-like relationship lived out, even if our circumstances are different. 

Here are the lyrics to the song above:

Tonight I saw a shooting star
Made me wonder where you are
For years I have been dreaming of you
And I wonder if you're thinking of me too
In this world of cheap romance
And love that only fades after the dance
They say that i'm a fool to wait for something more
How can I really love someone i've never seen before
But I have longed for true love every day that I have lived
And I know that real love is all about learning how to give
So I pray that god will bring you to me
And I pray you'll find me waiting faithfully

Faithfully, I am yours
From now until forever
Faithfully, I will write
Write you a love song with my life
Cause this kind of loves worth waiting for
No matter how long it takes I am yours
Faithfully

Tonight I saw two lovers kiss
Reminded me of my own loneliness
They say that i'm a fool to keep on praying for you
How can I give up pleasure for a dream that won't come true
But I will keep believing that god still has a plan
And though I can't see you now,
I know that he can
And someday I will give you all of me
Until I find you, i'll be waiting faithfully

Faithfully, I am yours
From now until forever
Faithfully, I will write
Write you a love song with my life
Cause this kind of loves worth waiting for
No matter how long it takes I am yours
Faithfully

My Week...

Has been GREAT! One of the best ever recorded in my life, actually. First of all, I know I have mentioned at least once of this random guy that I "met" a few months ago(six months and one week, to be exact!) and I started talking about and to him quite a bit. We had talked about dating....a lot. And started getting quite attached to each other...
I ended up able to attend the college he is currently at studying to by a Youth Pastor. I was excited and all. And so was he. Although I was worried, God had it all in His hands and we got through the initial shock of being able to see each other everyday. Well, sort of...I am still not quite USED to it. I hope I never "get used to it" because I love getting to be with him.
Anyway! The reason for this post is sort of an update. On, him, me....and now...US! *Dun dun dun*

"Sassy Grandma and goofy Grandpa"

Yes, folks, this is my boyfriend! A week ago today, we decided to take a walk(a "break") from studying and went for a wonderful walk in the most beautiful lightning storm imaginable(yes, I am biased to this particular night!). We walked quite a few laps and on the last, he asked me to be his girlfriend. :) With all smiles for the next few hours, everyone could tell, I said YES!

Yes, we make quite a pair!

This is us this last weekend right after our "date" to goodwill....with my sister. On this date we decided to go to Goodwill and pick out the most ridiculous outfit we could find and make the other wear it to school the following Monday. Although we decided to not make each other do that, the alternative was to take pictures and post them on Facebook for all our friends to see how crazy we are! The pictured shown above is what we looked like with the other choosing out an outfit. Doesn't he look adorable?! I certainly think so! :D

If you would like to read HIS half of the story just go to His Page to read all about it! He is the sweetest!