I pulled up the ever-trusty Google search on my smartphone today and saw that the featured artwork was (of course!) Valentine's Day-themed. On the mobile site at least, "first kiss" was the heart candy message. But I was curious to see what the desktop site had to offer, so I clicked over on my compy later in the day and realized there were a bunch of different heart-shaped, virtual candies that you could click on and hear "true stories of love" from "real people."
Click...click, click, CLICK [because my coffee-shop-provided internet connection was giving me a fit!].
What I then heard was a snippet of a somewhat lame retelling of a couple's almost first kiss in a parking lot one night. Not really what I was expecting...
I didn't make any other candy clicks, because I knew the stories wouldn't be fulfilling. "Why is that?" you inquire...well, because my own story is the most fulfilling one for me. And on a day like Valentine's Day - when everyone and their brother is buying a host of red and pink things that will soon be eaten, wilted, or shriveled - all I need to know to prove I am loved is my Bible. And my hubs. For God sent him to me to be an in the flesh representation of His love for me.
What's my story? So very glad you asked... :)
My first kiss is recorded in the annals of history along about July 9, 2011. Well, not "about" at all, really - exactly July 9, 2011. I know that because it took place on my wedding day after Michael and I said "I do."
God blessed me with the opportunity to be surrounded by His "holy hedge" (whatever that is...I mean, can a hedge really protect anything anyway?). For throughout middle school, high school, college, and the great beyond of singledom, God protected me in a way that I could not have expected or even dreamed. He protected me from myself, really. I wanted what every other young girl wanted: to be kissed by a boy. But not only that - to also be loved and cherished by that boy.
God's plan was different than my plan. In my plan, I would've had that elicit, breathless, first smooch in 7th grade. I had a fierce and fiery crush on a 10th grader at the time, and what I wouldn't have given if I coulda' made that magic happen at the time! But alas, it was not meant to be. Sheesh, I wasn't even a believer then...and yet, the Lord kept me firmly in His grasp - protecting me for His purposes.
Well, unrequited love begat unrequited love. Over and over, the process continued until one day I realized that those "loves" weren't really. At least, not the committed kind of covenantal love that God calls us to within marriage.
At thirteen, I became a believer. Then, as I grew in the Word and came under conviction of the Holy Spirit, I began to surrender more and more of myself to God until I no longer wanted the kiss. Granted, I still wanted the husband (at some point!) but not until God wanted Him to find me.
I share this story not to brag on what I did but to brag on what God did. You see, I've always had a hunch that whatever area God calls you to speak into the lives of others about is the exact area He tends to prune in you until you are unrecognizable from where you began. And that is precisely what He did in my life.
I surrendered to a call to ministry when I was 19. I have always felt most passionate about ministering to young women - especially speaking Truth into that often dimly-lit area of dating and relating. So what did God then do? He chose to hone in on the area of dating and relating in my life first.
So, this is not a totally Valentine's Day-related post, people. This is about God's call on our lives.
- To what has He called you?
- For what has He equipped you?
- At which area of your life has He set His sights on, laser-pointer style?
- And, most importantly, are you willing to submit to how He may choose to refine you in order to work through you?
My 7th-grade self certainly didn't think God would choose to put His holy hand between my lips and the lips of guys for nearly 20 more years until they locked with my husband's. But that was in His perfect plan for me. I didn't have to submit to the whole plan at first. He revealed it over time - and when I was ready for each next step, He guided me there. And He will likely do the same for you.
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