i've always loved a good love story. what girl doesn't? you know... boy meets girl. first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby in the baby carriage. bring you back to elementary school? thought so.
last monday, nick&i celebrated our third wedding anniversary. it seems amazing to me that we've only been married for three years. i guess it's because i just can't think of my life apart from him. he is not only my husband, but my partner, my teammate, my very best friend.
{i'm already starting to tear up. oh, dear.
i always prayed for a good story. i had grown up reading christian books on dating... if you grew up in a church youth group, then you know the classics: i kissed dating goodbye (joshua harris), passion&purity (elisabeth elliot), lady in waiting (jackie kendall&debby jones). i knew exactly what i wanted to find, what i wanted in a dating relationship, and the kind of man i wanted to marry. god just took me on a long journey of trusting his plan and his story to unfold in that area of my life.
and i am so thankful he did.
one november night, my third and last semester at dallas seminary, i met up with one of my best friends who worked with the youth group at a church we were both interning at in irving, texas. we had dinner at a local restaurant with a group of people we worked with, most of them being youth leaders and volunteers. during the course of conversation, they all began talking about setting us up with people (not an uncommon occurrence, and i always dreaded it) when all of a sudden the head youth pastor mentioned a man named nick cornwell. immediately the table *burst* into excited conversation about us meeting and being the perfect couple (which i responded with rolling eyes, i'm quite sure). after listening to them talk about this man for at least twenty minutes, i became intrigued. i had never heard a group of people say such positive things about anyone for such a large amount of time.
i was in.
before i knew it, they found out he was studying at the coffee shop at the church and whisked me away to meet him. as we pulled into the church parking lot, the youth pastor turned to me and said "you're about to meet your future husband."
and the rest is history. just kidding. it wasn't that easy. but i can't describe how amazing it was to watch god allow everything to fall into place. as he was bringing our story into fruition, he was also teaching me more and more about HIS love for me, which was the most amazing and humbling part. he answered prayers in almost-eerie-ways that have left us speechless and amazed, reminded in such intimate ways of his boundless love for us.
i read a book once in college that told the story of a young couple that had spent time praying over god's timing and will for their relationship and future marriage. the man didn't have much money, so he began praying for god's provision for an engagement ring if it was indeed god's plan for them to get engaged. one day, he was putting on his coat and reached into his pocket. perplexed, he pulled out a wad of money he found there. to his amazement, he found hundreds of dollars in his coat that day--an answer to his prayer, god's "green light" for him that this was exactly his plan. i remember being blown away by that story and began praying in college for god to show me that someday when i was seeking him about marriage.
fast forward almost six years. nick had spent the summer doing ministry work with youth from a poor community in illinois. when we began talking about getting engaged, i knew he didn't have much money because he had given up a summer of work. i remembered that story, and i began praying for god's provision, for his "green light" for us, whenever that may be; even if it wasn't according to our plans or our desires. one day, i met him in his office when we were both working at the church where we met. he was sitting at his desk, a stunned expression on his face. when i asked him what was wrong he responded "something just happened, but i'm not sure i should tell you about it" to which i told him that he'd better! he reached to a spot on his desk and pulled out an evelope that was filled with hundreds of dollars... on the front of the envelope someone had written "for the ring."
just writing those three small words still sends chills up my spine. i could write a book detailing all of the ways that we have seen god's fingerprints all over our relationship, engagement and marriage. it has not only been a journey of our love for each other, but more importantly it's been an *amazing* journey of god revealing his intimate love for us in inexplicable ways.
and that's the best part.
i always love to share our story because it's such a testament of god's faithfulness and grace. no prayer is too small for god. he delights in working in special ways in our lives to remind us that he is there. our relationship, our marriage, our life hasn't always been smooth sailing, for sure. but it's been the rough patches that cement us in christ and bind us even closer to one another.
happy third year, my handsome husband. i love you more and more every single day. i admire and respect you more than anyone else i know. no one else pushes me to be a better woman, wife, mother like you do... just by being who you are. i am so thankful for your tender, sensitive heart and how you chase after the lord and don't give up, even when it's hard. i feel beyond blessed that you asked me to be your wife. so excited to see where the lord continues to take us on this journey.
i.love.you.
"i am my beloved's and my beloved is mine."
song of solomon 6:3
