love endures all things

We both came from very different backgrounds; culturally, relationally, and spiritually. However, we have found in countless new ways, since we've begun our journey of growing together, just how intentional God is when he intertwines lives together. It all began 3 years ago, when we met at a soccer scrimmage with some mutual friends. We didn't even become friends ourselves until a year later. Thursday Night Lights and late-night post-game snacks at Raising Cane's slowly turned into Sunday morning coffee dates on the way to church. After three months of dating, we knew we would get married... and then six months went by, then seven, then eight, nine... There was restlessness. Impatience. Resentment. Cutting corners because we just didn't want to wait. That quickly turned into nagging. Bickering. Finding fault. We almost broke up. But our story didn't end there. The funny thing is, the world puts a lot of pressure on finding "the one." Cautiously watching out for "red flags", inconsistencies, and negative traits. Loving yourself and prioritizing your own person before others. Focusing on "checking all the boxes" and making sure all your wants and dreams are met. But that wasn't and isn't God's design for love. He tells us in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." Notice how in this passage the apostle Paul describes 'love' not as a feeling or a loose phrase meant to meet every expectation. What if we had it all backwards? What if the very thing we needed wasn't security in ourselves or each other, but in the One who invented this thing called "love?" What if God has something different in mind? This learning curve didn't give us all the answers, and it wasn't easy. The waiting continued. And continued. And spoiler alert: the ring didn't fix everything. And then there was breakthrough. In the middle of when things seemed like they were falling apart, that's when He redeemed our story. God showed up in unexpected and miraculous ways, and blessed us beyond measure... but only after we found peace in the waiting and the willingness to obey even when it was hard. We just had to get out of His way. We surrendered our relationship to the Lord and His plan. Suddenly, our focus became not on our own needs, but on each other's. Our expertise became not on one another's weaknesses, but on our strengths. Our fixation became not on our problems, but on the mighty and reckless love our heavenly Father had for us. And what used to be short fuses and burnt ends turned into a rushing flood of provision and promise. The only fire that was left in our hearts wasn't anger at each other, but passion and gratitude for God's faithfulness. This isn't a one-time fix or an epiphany that changes everything. Life is messy. Relationships are messy. And it takes guts. But that's what makes God's kindness and faithfulness so powerful. How else could He show up for us unless we need Him? This may read like an attempt at a short blog-style story or a cliche romance novel-like piece. But our prayer and belief is that if you've made it this far in learning about our journey, God will meet you where you are. No matter if you're single, divorced, married, widowed, or heartbroken, God's not done yet. Just like He wrote our story- both individually and together- He has also written yours. And He's not just an author, He's a redeemer. You can let go of the pen. Let this encourage your heart and refresh your soul in a new way, that He's always eagerly waiting for the part in your story where He gets to speak to you, heal you, and lavish His love on you. And His love, unlike ours, really does endure and outlast all things.