I have a special story to show all you guys today! So, a few months ago, one of my College youth leaders at church got engaged! How exciting right?! I am so thrilled for her and her fiance! Not to long ago, she shared her story of how they met and got engaged on facebook... So of course, I read her story, but I had no idea how romantic and spiritual it would be. It definitely touched my heart and I was thinking it might just do the same for some of you!
I messaged her on facebook first, asking her if it was okay to share her story. This is what she said-
"Go
for it, girl! This isn't our story, it's God's story, so if it can be
used to help others, I'm all for it! Thanks, sweet girl! It means a lot
to me that you would include us in your blog! Send me the link to it -
I'd love to read it sometime!"
Love you :)
I am so happy to share this with you all and I sincerely hope and pray that this gives you guys encouragement for your future! Don't give up women of faith, their are still some Godly men out there that just can't wait to meet you!
My fiancé Matt and I met at a church function about 3 years ago now. He had just, for lack of better terms, "come back to Jesus," so he was still trying to figure out how not to be that typical "hot headed, arrogant" guy. Before I get into the first time we met, I want to say this little piece because I think it's awesome. We were at our Thursday night college meeting at church and one of our production guys did a testimony video of all of the new guys that had come through our church doors. One of them was Matt, and for some reason, after I heard his testimony, I had this overwhelming feeling that I needed to talk to him. I didn't know why at the time, but I clearly know now. I walked outside, and he was standing there, and we just kinda locked eyes for a second, but I kept walking (I did not talk to him that night, but I'll never get that feeling or image out of my head). Now on to the first time we met. As I mentioned before, we were at a church function, and I remember sitting in one of the rooms with some of my friends, literally shoving cookies in my mouth because they were delicious (I'm not even embarrassed). The look on his face was priceless and he said "are you enjoying those cookies?" From then on, he found me on Facebook, and we exchanged numbers, ya-da, ya-da. Well, he tried UBER hard to get me to hang out with him and he ALWAYS wanted to talk to me. But honestly, I hated his guts. I was tired of the guys that thought they were "the stuff" and I was honestly just not interested. He was so annoying! I started ignoring him and finally he just got mad and stopped talking to me - until this one day in August. Earlier in 2011 (this story takes place in 2011, by the way), my boyfriend of 2 years had broken up with me and it had been a horrendous one (hence the reason I basically wanted to be a nun). Anyway, my ex, around August, started dating this other girl in my church (we're friends now, so it's all good), but at the time they flaunted it in front of me. It killed me inside. I remember talking to one of my friends at our Thursday college meeting at church and seeing them just be all lovey-dovey in front of me, so I basically lost it (crying only, I'm not a crazy person). As I was walking off, Matt grabbed my arm and said "do you need to talk?" I just nodded and he took me into the game room at church and literally held me and prayed for me until I stopped crying. After I stopped crying he said "we will just tell people you have allergies." I'm telling you this long story because this is the moment it all changed for me. Just the fact that he cared enough to make sure I was okay completely changed my feelings. We became best friends after that - talking all the time, and finally hanging out (like he so desperately wanted to do a few months prior). From then on, we were inseparable, and we still are today. He's still my best friend, he still holds me when I cry, and he always makes sure that I'm happy and okay.
My favorite time of the year EVER is Christmas. I will do ANYTHING that involves Christmas - movies, lights, baking, Market Square and Gatlinburg festivities, you name it. I also LOVE taking pictures. So about a month before Christmas, Matt calls me and says "I thought of a new Christmas Eve tradition we can start! Let's get all dressed up in Christmas colors and go downtown on Christmas Eve and have a random person take our picture in front of the big tree on Market Square!" Well of course I freaked out because I love Christmas and pictures - what could be better? Christmas Eve rolled around and we had these really awesome Christmas outfits on and we started looking around for someone to take our picture. Well, it was Christmas Eve so we were kinda struggling to find someone. After looking for a few minutes, I turned toward the huge tree and there was a card hanging on it with my name on it. I opened it up and Matt had written 7 biblical promises for our marriage, and had written a note on the outside of the letter that said "Tomorrow I get engaged to my best friend." He signed it, dated it, and put the time he wrote it. I got done reading it, turned around, and he got down on one knee. He told me I was his best friend and also told me he loved me for the first time (he wanted it to be the first time he told me because he didn't want to be that guy that used 'I Love You' too loosely). It was so sweet. And we found someone to take our picture - he had arranged for his sister and brother to be there taking pictures, so it was all captured (still waiting to get those pictures, but they do exist).
We are a very easy-going, fun-loving couple and we both serve in the student ministry at our church as small group leaders. We LOVE Tennessee football (Go Vols!), as well as the Denver Broncos (you'll always find us watching every game, in our jerseys). Because Matt is in grad school, we have very little funds at the moment, so we improvise - we will make dinner together, or rent a redbox movie, or go to the park, or workout. As long as we are together, we are happy. It doesn't really matter what we do. Everyone loves Matt, especially all the ladies (they swoon over what a Godly man and spiritual leader he is, which I'm clearly aware of), so I am very lucky and very blessed that God chose him for me!
I am so happy to share this with you all and I sincerely hope and pray that this gives you guys encouragement for your future! Don't give up women of faith, their are still some Godly men out there that just can't wait to meet you!
Here's the story:
My fiancé Matt and I met at a church function about 3 years ago now. He had just, for lack of better terms, "come back to Jesus," so he was still trying to figure out how not to be that typical "hot headed, arrogant" guy. Before I get into the first time we met, I want to say this little piece because I think it's awesome. We were at our Thursday night college meeting at church and one of our production guys did a testimony video of all of the new guys that had come through our church doors. One of them was Matt, and for some reason, after I heard his testimony, I had this overwhelming feeling that I needed to talk to him. I didn't know why at the time, but I clearly know now. I walked outside, and he was standing there, and we just kinda locked eyes for a second, but I kept walking (I did not talk to him that night, but I'll never get that feeling or image out of my head). Now on to the first time we met. As I mentioned before, we were at a church function, and I remember sitting in one of the rooms with some of my friends, literally shoving cookies in my mouth because they were delicious (I'm not even embarrassed). The look on his face was priceless and he said "are you enjoying those cookies?" From then on, he found me on Facebook, and we exchanged numbers, ya-da, ya-da. Well, he tried UBER hard to get me to hang out with him and he ALWAYS wanted to talk to me. But honestly, I hated his guts. I was tired of the guys that thought they were "the stuff" and I was honestly just not interested. He was so annoying! I started ignoring him and finally he just got mad and stopped talking to me - until this one day in August. Earlier in 2011 (this story takes place in 2011, by the way), my boyfriend of 2 years had broken up with me and it had been a horrendous one (hence the reason I basically wanted to be a nun). Anyway, my ex, around August, started dating this other girl in my church (we're friends now, so it's all good), but at the time they flaunted it in front of me. It killed me inside. I remember talking to one of my friends at our Thursday college meeting at church and seeing them just be all lovey-dovey in front of me, so I basically lost it (crying only, I'm not a crazy person). As I was walking off, Matt grabbed my arm and said "do you need to talk?" I just nodded and he took me into the game room at church and literally held me and prayed for me until I stopped crying. After I stopped crying he said "we will just tell people you have allergies." I'm telling you this long story because this is the moment it all changed for me. Just the fact that he cared enough to make sure I was okay completely changed my feelings. We became best friends after that - talking all the time, and finally hanging out (like he so desperately wanted to do a few months prior). From then on, we were inseparable, and we still are today. He's still my best friend, he still holds me when I cry, and he always makes sure that I'm happy and okay.
On to the proposal...
My favorite time of the year EVER is Christmas. I will do ANYTHING that involves Christmas - movies, lights, baking, Market Square and Gatlinburg festivities, you name it. I also LOVE taking pictures. So about a month before Christmas, Matt calls me and says "I thought of a new Christmas Eve tradition we can start! Let's get all dressed up in Christmas colors and go downtown on Christmas Eve and have a random person take our picture in front of the big tree on Market Square!" Well of course I freaked out because I love Christmas and pictures - what could be better? Christmas Eve rolled around and we had these really awesome Christmas outfits on and we started looking around for someone to take our picture. Well, it was Christmas Eve so we were kinda struggling to find someone. After looking for a few minutes, I turned toward the huge tree and there was a card hanging on it with my name on it. I opened it up and Matt had written 7 biblical promises for our marriage, and had written a note on the outside of the letter that said "Tomorrow I get engaged to my best friend." He signed it, dated it, and put the time he wrote it. I got done reading it, turned around, and he got down on one knee. He told me I was his best friend and also told me he loved me for the first time (he wanted it to be the first time he told me because he didn't want to be that guy that used 'I Love You' too loosely). It was so sweet. And we found someone to take our picture - he had arranged for his sister and brother to be there taking pictures, so it was all captured (still waiting to get those pictures, but they do exist).
About us as a couple...
We are a very easy-going, fun-loving couple and we both serve in the student ministry at our church as small group leaders. We LOVE Tennessee football (Go Vols!), as well as the Denver Broncos (you'll always find us watching every game, in our jerseys). Because Matt is in grad school, we have very little funds at the moment, so we improvise - we will make dinner together, or rent a redbox movie, or go to the park, or workout. As long as we are together, we are happy. It doesn't really matter what we do. Everyone loves Matt, especially all the ladies (they swoon over what a Godly man and spiritual leader he is, which I'm clearly aware of), so I am very lucky and very blessed that God chose him for me!
What love means to me...
My marriage definition is loving each other unconditionally as Christ loved the church. To me, marriage is the opportunity to show Christ's love to everyone by how we love each other. It's not going to bed angry, it's caring for each other when we're sick, it's going out of our way to make sure the other is happy. Marriage isn't about me - it's about Matt and how I can cater to his every need and be the best Godly wife that I can. Marriage isn't simply having a sleep over with your best friend every night (it's definitely a plus!), it's putting someone's needs above your own and counting yourself second in everything. Marriage is about dying to yourself and sacrificing every day. I'm so blessed to have the opportunity to be a Godly wife for Matt and to show Christ's love to him and others on a daily basis.
And here is a picture of the lovely couple! 
Thank you Marlee for letting me share this on my blog! I truly appreciate it! Love you, and again, CONGRATULATIONS!
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