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Or maybe you just have something funny that will brighten someone’s day.
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Lucienne’s Story
I spent years and years in dating relationships, some long term, many short term.
At first, dating was just fun for me. I had my eyes open for the man God had for me, but I wasn’t in any particular hurry. I was sure my husband would come along.
But then he didn’t . . . and didn’t and didn’t. Even though I dated some great guys, the relationships never lasted. I began to get impatient, and what do you think happened to me? I became the kind of desperate, needy woman who turns men off. I wanted to be married, and I wanted to be married now!
One day I talked to an older woman in my church, someone who was a mentor to me. She asked me, “Why are you in such a hurry to be married?”
“Well, because I’m lonely,” I replied. “Besides, I want to have kids.”
“Do you think God knows what’s best for you?”
“I suppose so.”
“Well, don’t you think that means He knows the best timing for your marriage? Take some advice from someone who’s been around longer than you. I look back and I see lots of things that I didn’t get when I wanted to—and now I’m glad I didn’t. Because it wouldn’t have been good for me right then. Relax. Keep following God and trust Him to bring the right man into your life at the right time.”
To be honest, that advice annoyed me at the time. Even though it sounded reasonable, it wasn’t what I wanted to hear. And besides, how do you make yourself “relax” and “trust”?
But it did make me think about some of my friends who rushed into marriage when they shouldn’t have. Each situation was somewhat different, but all of these friends so wanted to get married that they were blinded to what their boyfriend or girlfriend was really like. So they moved too fast. They didn’t wait for God’s best for them. And now they are either divorced or trying to make the best of a bad marriage. As much as I disliked being single, I didn’t want to be like them!
Finally I had a heart-to-heart with God. I got down on my knees and prayed something like this: “God, I still want to be married, and I know You know I want to be married. But I’m going to trust that, for right now, being single is what You want me for me. I pray that You’ll bring the right man to me at the right time.”
My mentor was right. God sees the big picture. He’s in no hurry. He brings into my life what’s best for me when He wants and how He wants. My wisest choice is just to cooperate with Him.
All this was thrilling for me to learn. Eventually I decided to share it with a friend I’d met at church, because somehow I thought he’d understand. His name was Sheldon. Little did I know then that he would become my future husband!
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