Thank God

Sometimes when I get bummed I pull out this blog that Clay created in November. It reminds me that all though we arent 'conventional' we're still blessed. Obviously God has a plan for us and he wasted no time getting it started! Read on and enjoy.....

Nov 24th 2007
Just this past year, numerous changes have taken place in my life. The first major change: I’m moving to Texas from Florida in January to go back to school to study music. I’m leaving my parents’ home with not much money, and I’m going for it. The second major change: I met a woman recently here in my home town, who consequently I want to spend the rest of my life with. Now you would think that these two changes might have a certain conflict of interest, but they don’t.I met her a few months back, probably in July or something like that, but we didn’t become friends until early September. At that point we gravitated towards each other and “clicked”, if you will. Since then we’ve fallen in love and we both stand firm in our decision to eventually get married.

How does this happen, might you ask? I’ll tell you. Now, if you don’t believe in God then this next part is not for you: God brought us together. That’s not to say that God personally orchestrates every little aspect and detail of my life, but to me, this one is pretty obvious. Naturally this doesn’t work for every couple, but we are that special case. If you ask, you will receive. And I have asked for this one, diligently.

So I thought it would be a problem, with me going to school and all, but it wasn’t. Her response was a decision that surprised me and everyone that has heard of it. She decided to move out to Texas with me. So we discussed, at length, the implications of this decision for myself, for her, and, for her daughter. We’ve both prayed seriously about it, and we both know that this is something from God.
This is where yours and everybody’s reactions start to pour in. I’ve received some positive responses to my situation, and I’m grateful for those. But many have had some kind of problem with it or another. It’s either “You’re crazy” or “You haven’t thought this through” or “She has a kid.” And no matter how many times or ways I go over it and explain it to people, they just never understand. Even Christians, who are supposed to live by faith, have run down the list of reasons why this can’t work. And I think I know why this is the case.

It’s our society. It is our culture and our core value system. Our values and our aspirations in this nation are materialistic, and selfish. If I had said that she was moving out to Texas for a job opportunity, every response I’m sure would’ve been congratulatory. But if she follows the man she loves because she has faith that God can make it work, she’s blinded or she’s stupid? Is this really how much value we place on love nowadays?

In our culture, there is such a prevailing attitude towards love. It’s the “try it before you buy it” method. With this type of approach, you have a ‘ninety day return policy’ on all items purchased. But doesn’t the bible say that true love endures all, suffers all, and seeks not after its own (1 Corinthians 13:4)? If this is true, then “try it before you buy it” can’t be true love. This probably has something to do with why divorce rates are so high in our country, especially within the Christian community.

Now I’m all for taking the time to get to know somebody before you make any life-changing decisions. But when you know, you just know. And if you put your trust in God as I have, then you truly have nothing to worry about. I’ll be damned if I pass up the opportunity to be with the woman that God has given me because I doubted what, before my eyes, is plain to see.