It all started with a conversation about love with an Islamic believer, Jasheem, on a bench in Malaysia.
Lindsay and I went to grab lunch. It was suppose to be a quick grab, then we would head back to the house we were staying at for the month. There was this place close to our home where we could get delicious food for less than $1. That was perfect for our World Race budget! We had started building a relationship with the man that worked there.
On this particular day, he sat down with us as we waited for our food. He asked us the basic questions we had been asked million of times–where are you from, are you religious, and are you single? As we answered these questions, he could not believe that we were actually content with being single. We tried explaining our view on this oh so famous subject, but he still could not wrap his mind around it.
We got our food, and told him we would be back and could not wait to finish the conversation. As we were walking back to our house, Lindsay and I were talking about the conversation we just had. We laughed about where we could had been if we would had married any of our ex-boyfriends. Woah! Haha. We were extremely thankful that God had different plans. The guys we dated were not bad guys, but they were not our immeasurably more.
This is a thank you blog.
Thank you to the guy that was my first boyfriend. Thank you for respecting my parents and their rules. Thank you for ending things when you did (although I was devastated at the time, you knew we were not right for each other).
Thank you to the boyfriend who I spent three years with. Thank you for showing me that I did not want a basic Christian life, but something so much greater. Thank you for understanding that I didn’t want to break your heart, but I knew I was not God’s best for you.
Thank you to the last one. Thank you for teaching me that potential and reality were two very different things. Thank you for pushing me away, because that only pushed me closer to Christ. Thank you for knowing me well enough to know God was calling me to something different than you. Thank you for telling me to travel the world before I settled down.
To the young ladies out there that are struggling with their singleness– I know you are sick of people telling you to embrace it. So I’m not going to tell you that. I will tell you my life would not look like it does now if I had ended up with any of those guys. I definitely would not be on the Race serving God in 11 different countries with various ministries.
My first boyfriend was at the age of 16. He was a great guy, with an amazing family, but you know what? I’m so thankful I did not marry him. My second boyfriend was at the age of 18. He was called to ministry and was one of the most genuine worshippers I have ever seen. Once again, I’m so thankful I did not marry him. My last guy was at the age of 21. He made me come alive and understood me better than most people in my life. I’m thankful that I did not settle down with him either.
You cannot even fathom the plans God has in store for you. All He asks of you is to walk by faith and obey. I’m 24. By the world’s standards, I should be seriously dating, freshly engaged, or happily married by now. Instead, I’m teaching students in Malaysia, picking my outfit from three choices, and getting too excited about a western toilet and water that comes from the wall and hits my head (I think they call that a shower?).
I wouldn’t change a thing.
Don’t miss out on the story that God is writing for you. I know you want to read the cliff notes, know who the main characters are, and read the conclusion. I encourage you to slowly read each chapter, from beginning to end. Soak it up. The Author will guide you to places where beauty is to behold. He just ask that you let go of the pen and allow him to guide you in his timing.
We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps. -Proverbs 16:9
