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7.16.2008

Worth Waiting For


Several times, while I was reminiscing with old friends and thinking back about my life 10 years ago, I kept thinking about how much time I spent worrying and thinking about who I would marry. I think that is a common thing most girls consume themselves with. I even hear our Junior Highers talking about it a lot. I made list after list about what I hoped "Mr. Right" would be like and what his name might be. I don't think I ever came up with someone named Travis, but I do remember wondering if "he" was someone I knew or someone I would meet later. While I was reflecting back on all of that, I was reminded of how good the Lord has been to me, bringing me the man of my dreams and then some! Travis is such a great answer to all my prayers and the one I never would have found on my own. I'm very grateful for the way we met and for how he's changed my life. !0 years ago I never would have dreamed I'd marry a handsome Texan, but God always knew.

Before we got married, I was home, looking through boxes of old stuff when I found something that I couldn't get over. On April 2, 1998 I wrote a prayer in one of my journals, asking the Lord to bring the right guy for me in the coming years. I was about to graduate from high school then, so my future was heavy on my heart and I knew the next few years were going to be full of important changes. I wrote about some things I hoped he'd have, like a kind heart, a love for the Lord, a sense of humor, a love for sports, a love for my family and of course, a love for me. I asked God to give him wisdom in the choices he was making, to keep him pure, and to protect him. I read that 5 years later and thought it was sweet, because of course I had met him and was about to marry him. I realized that God answered every thing on that list and then gave me a million more things to love and be thankful for too. But then I saw something that I hadn't seen before. I thought back to that April day and I realized, April 2 was just another day for me, but it was a big day for Travis. That was his 24th birthday and he was about to graduate from college. In just a few weeks from that day, he would be looking for a job and someone would lead him to the job waiting for him, in Naples, Florida. That move would change his life forever and just 4 years later, it would change mine too. We would eventually meet in Naples and of course the rest is history. I love that story because it is such a great picture of God's faithfulness to meet and provide the desires of my heart and it shows me how clearly He was working to do that, when I didn't have a clue. He saw the big picture and was ordering both of our steps to complete it. On the birthday of my future husband, God prompted me to pray for Him, knowing that I was oblivious to what that would mean, but realizing that one day it would give me such great hope. I think about that story often when I wonder where God is. When it feels like He's not answering my prayers or moving in my world, I remember that He is, I just might not be able to see it right now.

10 years later, I have to say that meeting and marrying Travis was definitely worth the wait, not only because he is the man of my dreams, but because He is a visible reminder of God's love for me... a very handsome reminder!! Isn't God good??

5 comments:

Faith said...

I loved reading about how you two met and how the Lord was working 10 years ago when you didn't know each other yet! God is so good! What a great thing to look back on and know without a doubt that Travis is the one for you!
Hope you are having a good week!
Love ya!

Jesse and Stacie said...

I remember when mom first told me about Travis and before I even met him I knew he was the one. It's true, I never thought that with any of your other boyfriends. Love ya Travy!

MiMi said...

Thanks for sharing the story of how you and Travis met. God is so good!

What an encouragement to all of our prayer lives! He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think!

sheltonfamily said...

I had a journal as well... it was very long ha ha! I gave it to Mike on our wedding day. I love how "near" I was to the Lord in those h.s./college days. It reminds me of how fresh my faith was during those times and to spur me on now. Love u guys!

Matt and Jen said...

what an awesome reminder of God's work in our lives even when we don't see it. Matt always reminds me that God seems to do His best work in secret!! we couldn't handle it any other way. love you