“I’m from a different era. Things were a lot less complicated. And if I would have met you back then, I would have courted you. Would’ve taken chaperoned strolls and had iced tea on the porch. I may have stolen a kiss or two, but only after asking your father’s permission, I would’ve got down on one knee and I would’ve presented you with a ring. This was my mother’s. Isabella Swan, I promise to love you every moment of forever. Would you do me the extraordinary honor of marrying me?”-Edward proposing to Bella (Eclipse)

How many of you ladies, if you had the option, would choose a man like the above example: one willing to wait to have all of you on your wedding night? A man who would court you, the “old-fashioned way”?  “Steal a kiss or two,” and vow to take nothing more from you because he knows he loves you enough to someday make you his wife and he will faithfully wait for you until that joyous day he so longs for.

“Ah, Natasha, if men like that existed I would have been married a long time ago.”

“Ah beautiful, special, unique wonder-work of God’s very own creative design, if you only knew: there are men out there willing to court you like a princess. I know; I married one.”

How many of us would love to experience what Bella and so few women it seems have the opportunity to experience on their wedding night. Finally making love to that man you can’t wait to get your hands on because he proved his faithful love and devotion to you by fighting those intense bodily compulsions all because he deemed you that precious to him.  I did and my goodness was it worth those eighteen months of waiting.

See, I’m not one lucky girl out of a million.  I know at least four other women who got the same deal and another girl who is engaged and her man is still waitin’ for that special day.  How did me and my friends snag a guy that not only waited for us, but loved and respected us in all other areas as well, a guy we were more than happy to spend the rest of our lives with?  “Coincidentally” we’re all Christian girls.

“Oh hold up, you’re not gonna get all religious on us now, are you?”

Girl, please.  Religiosity is the furthest thing from simple and true Christianity.  What we have is a love relationship with the God who made us and gave everything so we would seek Him out and get to know Him on a personal level.  We simply reconnected with our Heavenly Father and He worked out the rest.  Talk about the ultimate wedding planner.  Before I cried out to God on that heart-breaking Sunday night, marriage was nowhere on my radar.  If anything, I believed marriage was extremely far-fetched for a girl who’d been through over 52 toads and more than a handful of heart breaks.  It was like every guy I gave my heart to simply couldn’t commit.  And that last ex before I met my prince, truly was the clincher.

When I stopped passionately pursuing relationships and started pursing God, everything changed.  Not only was I extremely happy in my single state, but I believed marriage would someday come to me.  I didn’t need it now, but I knew it was a definite possibility.  However, I didn’t dwell on this fact.  I simply kept my eyes on the One who so revealed Himself to me.  As I got to know this God who answered my desperate cry that fateful night, my tattered heart was mended (in six days, literally).  I was finally in love with the one Man who’d always loved me, unconditionally, with an inexhaustible amount of love.  Just so happened God had my prince waiting right around the corner.  I met him ten days after my ex and I said goodbye for good.  The ex I was ready to lose my virginity to three times.  Now I’m not saying you’ll get the same fairytale story, but God does have a perfect love story written out for you.  You may have tried to write your own for a while now, but it’s never to late to toss out the old type-writer and let God take over the romantic writing process.

Cool thing about God, His love becomes enough.  Honestly, my husband could never love me like Jesus.  But he tries, which makes him the second best man of my life.  (Don’t tell my dad I said that).  One night, before my imperfect prince and I were wed, he did something that made me cry.  On my bed I said to God, “Please speak to me,” and flung my pink precious moments Bible open.  I read the words, “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.”  Maybe that’s where you’re at right now: trusting that some man is going to heal your loneliness and your aching heart, fill that void in your life.  He won’t.  Only God can do that.  But, He’s a gentleman.  He won’t barge into your heart.  You have to invite Him in.

So this is where I leave you.  Want a man who will love you on your best and worst days, no matter how you look, where you’ve been or what you’ve done? Who can forgive any and every stupid thing you do without bringing it up later? A man who gave His very life for you?

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”  You’ve let men into your heart who haven’t taken good care of it.  If you know it’s time, let God into your heart and see how He changes your world.

With love and coming from experience,

Natasha