Monday, August 5, 2013

"You Just Know."

I remember it like it was yesterday.
It was August 5th, 2012.
Exactly a year ago today.

Married people are often confronted
with this question:
"When did you know that
you were going to marry your spouse?"

And there is an increasing number
of people who answer with these three words,
"You just know."

My thoughts in my single days
went something similar to this:
"What the heck does that mean?
How can you just 'know'"?

Let me just sit here and say,
as a former unbeliever of the saying,
(rather, more ignorant to it) that
I get it now.

My Jonathan and I were friends first.
We climbed together, played music together,
ate IHOP oatmeal together,
and shared our hearts together.

On April 28th, he kissed me.
Exactly 12 days later, I left for Africa.
I was gone for two months.
Our hearts were stretched over the span
of the distant continents.
But rest assured, love is BIG!
And God is GOOD!

Two months later I arrived home.
And exactly 10 days later,
my Jonathan left for Cambodia.
14 days later,
I went with his mom to pick him
up from the airport.

I remember it like it was yesterday.
It was August 5th, 2012.
Exactly a year ago today.

We'd only been in the same
country for 34 days.
And thirty-four days is all it took.

He stepped off the plane he'd been
on for 30 hours.
No sleep.
His curly hair like a train wreck.
His eyes were blood spot.
His body in need of a shower
from being in a third-world country.
He was exhausted.
He was worn out.
He was spent.

And in that moment...
"I just knew."

He had nothing left to give.
Because he'd just given
all he had to serving Christ.

Christ is Who brought us together,
and Who has kept us together.

My Jonathan is attractive in many, many ways.
But the single-most attractive thing about him,
is his love for my Jesus.

And God has been confirming
me for some time that this is the one.
And since that day in the airport,
I've never "not known."

I remember it like it was yesterday.
It was August 5th, 2012.
Exactly a year ago today.


Friday, February 1, 2013

Learning to Love.


Since befriending my curly-haired, 
rock climbing buddy nearly 3 years ago, 
to beginning to date him 
amidst both of our travels to 3rd-world countries, 
to learning how to be in a Christ-centered relationship, 
to a sudden heart defect diagnosis, 
leading to a new perspective on life 
and what really matters, 
I've embarked on a brand new adventure 
with my curly-haired friend on a journey of 
learning what love actually is and what it actually is not. 
Enjoy my newest understandings of the often 
misunderstood definition of love.

Love is...

Not a feeling that results in self-gratification, but a constant laying down of oneself obtained by a choice of an outward action resulting in inner joy that spills out into others and invites them in to experience something greater than oneself. 

Humbling yourself 
with a teachable spirit 
and putting on the willingness 
to learn new things 
(not always good things) 
about yourself. 

It's being willing 
to change the ways 
you've adopted as comfort 
your whole life 
for the sake the other person, 
yourself, 
and the relationship. 

It's being on the same team,
walking towards the same 
ultimate, eternal purpose. 

It's knowing when to listen, 
when to encourage, 
when to be honest, 
and when to just stop 
to enjoy each other.  

It's learning how to be selfless 
by placing the other person's needs 
above your own. 
And it's being graceful 
and understanding 
as the other one learns this, too. 

It is holding each other, not saying a word, 
and allowing the therapeutic closeness 
to bring healing. 

Love is sacrifice.