Through the Storm

I kept hearing about this amazing video swarming the internet of a man proposing to his girlfriend and marrying her on the same day. Although I’m a hopeless romantic, for some reason there was no urgency in me to watch it. However, after a close friend posted the link on Facebook, I decided to see what all the hype was about. Needless to say I was ill prepared for how truly special and spiritual their story would be. We live in the days where the word “love” is constantly abused and misused. My favorite example is “Love & Hip Hop.” It’s one of the top rated shows among African Americans and there’s absolutely nothing about the show that speaks to love. Greed? Yes. Lust? Yes. Fame? Yes. Living with your baby momma and girlfriend of over 11 years, then marrying your “side-piece” is not love. Trying to get one of your baby mommas to agree to a paternity test after fathering two children just months apart from each other is not love. But I digress. The bigger issue is that the more we misrepresent love, the harder it is for us to recognize the real thing. Ladies and gentlemen, the video you just saw is the REAL THING!

Anyone who watched this video can’t help but to feel the love…and not just between the couple. The real love story is their love for Jesus and making him the center of their love story. How can any love story be told without the One who is Love? That’s what makes the story so beautiful to me! I had all intentions to let the video speak for itself without any real commentary from me BUT I’m a writer and well, I just couldn’t help myself. Since there’s really not much I can add to make the message any more clearer, I’ll just highlight a few things I noted while watching their beautiful love story. I’m a little wierd so I pick out the subtlties in everything so bare with me :).

1. The Storm. That’s how you know it was the Will of God. Any time you are  operating in God’s will there will be storms. This one just happened to be an actual tropical storm that had the potential to completely ruin all of his hardwork and planning BUT when God is involved there’s no storm (literally or figuratively) that can destroy you. I loved how even though his faith waivered a bit and he wanted to freak out, his words were positive and full of expectation. He didn’t let how he was feeling dictate what he confessed. We could all take a lesson from that!

2A. This one is a two parter: 5 Years w/o an “I Love You”… my first reaction was “WHAT?!!” Now let me be all the way real… I am someone who likes clarity. I need to know what you want and if we are on the same page at ALL times. I don’t do well with ambiguity and trust that you don’t ever want me to make assumptions so it’s best for you to communicate and communicate precisely with me. So when I think of me being in a relationship for 5 YEARS with a man and NEVER hearing I love you when I’m sure that I have either said it or felt it by then??? Houston we have a problem. Then God checked me. I heard: “Those are just words. What if his actions were so filled with love that she never needed to hear it because he showed her just how much he loved her? Don’t you always say actions speak louder than words? Well his spoke loud and clear.” Wowzers!!! Consider me checked at that point!

2B. First “I Love You” in the car. So then I’m thinking the first time I hear “I love you” is in the car though? As women we have these fantasies of how things should be done and how perfect they should be. It’s time for us to get out of fairytale land. Men don’t think like us period. They are very, very simple and will do things when it feels right no matter where they are. In the car was the perfect time because it came without any pressure or feeling of intimidation. He acted from the heart and what could be more perfect than that. Not to mention, the man said; “The moment I saw her I said: That’s “Mrs. Leak” … The second I saw her I knew she was my wife.” I don’t care how long it took him. The man knew what he wanted and waited for God’s perfect timing to reveal it. Ladies, you know some of us would have messed that all up with our “perfect” timetable of how long it should take for a man to do this and say that. It’s time to let those rules go and let GOD!

3. “What makes us “tick” is Jesus Christ.” On top of how spiritually centered the wedding was with the laying on of hands and the beautiful prayer over the couple for EVERY area of their lives… The moment he said: “it didn’t have anything to do with our attraction for one another but everything to do with Christ;” made my stomach sink (in a good way!) Let it be clear, this man said he had no plans of getting married anytime soon. He wanted to travel the world and go into business but God had a bigger plan at the time and he surrendered. He will still travel the world and do business but He made God’s plan a priority and for that they will be blessed. So many women are baffled at how a man would be able to pull something this spectacular off. You know what we say ladies: Men are not that organized or that thoughtful. Men are not great planners. Men don’t pay attention to little things. My response is that this event is an example of what FAITH and A MAN can do. Please believe that Holy Spirit was all up in this idea. He couldn’t fail because he wasn’t alone. It was perfect because it was designed by the One that is perfection.

If you’re a love cynic, this isn’t for you. This is for all those who may have waivered in faith and in love, feeling like their desires are too good to be true. Well you’re wrong. Your story may not play out like theirs but God has a perfect love story awaiting you… you just have be open to His voice and let Him guide the way.

Happy Tuesday!!

Love, Bianca