Even before Christmas Gene came over to my apartment on the days he wasn't working 12 hour shifts. On the days he was working he would call after I got home from work and we would breathe at one another! I didn't know what to say because I didn't want to say the wrong thing and he didn't know what to say because.............. he didn't know what to say. So we just connected and it was okay! Can you imagine me just listening to him not talk and me [ME???] not saying anything...But this IS the REAL and the TRUE so there you go! Not many of these took place before I blurted out------what is your intention in this relationship? I just COULD NOT risk any more than I was investing without knowing that he did not want what the last fellow I had dated had wanted let alone what the second fellow I ever dated wanted [nor the first, but he was eighth grade].
The fellow before Gene wanted to walk in the moonlight holding hands, to go out to nice candlelit dinners, to go to concerts and events but not get serious or fall in love. I finally told him I wasn't capable of doing those romantic things without falling in love so he stopped calling. During this time I felt God nudging me that I would soon marry and so of course I thought I had found "the one". I told Pastor Dick and he wisely said, that is great that God has dropped into your heart that you will soon marry.........let's not lock in on that guy...eh? I didn't want to hear that! How could it be anybody else? HA ha ha!
So I wasn't going to get in that mess again...I just told God, "fine, I will get on with life" I started to swim laps at the YMCA, I rented a piano and hired a piano teacher, and I began Hebrew level 2 lessons with Bonny [say bone Nay] and Susie Sofar who were studying here but lived in Israel! Then came the information from God that Gene was going to date me!
Was he taken aback by my forthright question? about his intentions? I don't know, he's never said that he was and he answered me by saying he wanted to pursue a relationship that would lead toward marriage if God so directed. OH GOOD ANSWER!
Let's see there is still the Santa Claus question before Christmas and the after Christmas, tree planting where he made a profound statement and the prophetic word from the Lord that was spoken over me while I was on the mission field in Haiti, 11 months before Gene and I married, 7 months before our first date and perfectly fulfilled in exactly what God said so there is still more of the Real and the True to come!
I am thankful ....every ....day for these opportunities to share these treasures with you! Some are easy to share, some funny and most gut wrenching but this was an easy, fun one!
2 comments:
Thank you for sharing your story !
...What will the title of the book be ? We await the next installment with bated breath !
Seriously ... we are thoroughly enjoying your story !
May God wrap you all in His loving arms as His people pray for you.
Hi Joanie,
I'm a friend of Cheryl M's, and was just reading your story... and HAD to tell you this... my daughter blurted out that very same question to a young man this past spring who had asked her to be his girlfriend, since she had some similar past experiences. His answer was "I date to find a wife." She even double-checked to make sure she had heard him correctly! And they're getting married in a month!
Your family is in our prayers... thanks for sharing such precious memories!
Kim
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