The image of the man I would marry was always such a mysterious and mystical thing. And so, starting from the tender age of 15, I did what I do best to conquer such strange and awkward situations in life-I talk. I blab. Blah blah blah blah blah. I "talked" to my future husband-in the form of letters.
Sometimes it was a way of feeling better when all of my friends had dates for junior prom and I was all alone. It helped me cope when I got friend zoned by the gorgeous blonde dude from church. Or sometimes, as I prayed as a new Christian and lonely teenager, I would start to see that marrying the right person was one of my biggest dreams in life.
Many years later, I'm engaged to the man of my dreams. And I wrote him many letters along the way, from the back of the FBC MacClenny church bus to a tiny village in rural Peru. I'm going to share with you right now as many letters as I can to my future husband.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007-Written coming back from Centri-fuge in the FBC MacClenny bus
I can't wait to meet the man I'll marry! Oh wow...I wonder what he's doing now. You know what? I'm going to write him a letter :)
Dear husband,
Hey! I'm sleepy, but I'll never be too tired to stop and daydream about you :)
I think God is calling us to be missionaries. I'm excited, but scared! But if God is on my side, how can I be afraid? I also hope we have kids! I like Jonathon, Daniel and Chris. For girls, I like Christy, Madison, Hannah and Allison. But maybe you'll think of a better name!
Thursday, July 30, 2009-Written after serving a summer at Camp Crestridge for Girls
Dear Future Husband,
I'm 17 right now. I'm planning, dreaming, and praying about the things God will have in store. I'm done some things I'm proud of. But there's only one thing. I'm 17 and never been kissed. I've never been on a date. I know there's a time for everything. But I want you. I want you to tell me I'm beautiful. I want you to protect me and hold me when I cry. I want to fall in love with you, and not just a selfish love, but with the love God has shown us. So many times I want to jump the stages God has placed in my life. But in this single stage, He's preparing me. He's perfecting me for you.
A couple of years passed and Andy and I went through our share of heartbreaks. On June 12, 2011 he wrote a letter to his future wife (that I won't post on here, but it was pretty awesome!)
Little did he know, I was also writing him letters, even a poem or two-that very same summer. And little did he know, just a few months after that he and I would start dating and falling in love.
The last year we wrote each other letters was when I was a short-term missionary in Peru. While I was gone for a few months doing church planting with the International Mission Board in a tiny indigenous village, with no Internet and highly limited phone access, we knew that our communication would be super limited. And so, a few months before I left, we started writing each other letters to read-one to read for each day I'd be gone.
Now that Hubby is known, it is time to plan a wedding! :)
