Wanted to rewind and introduce my other half. Truely, most days I feel we share the same brain. Although he is completely happy going to sleep in an unmade-knot of covers-messy bed and I am not, most other things we agree wholeheartedly upon. Granted, our personalities are on 2 ends of the spectrum : He is cool as a cucumber and let's little bother him...I am a little more on edge about life in general...lol.
I was dating someone else at the time Eric and I met.
I was 17 and it was my first boyfriend. I was attending college at Liberty University and would come home every weekend to travel and lead worship with our band. You know when you hear Holy Spirit ask you to do something. Its quiet but heavy. Its a whisper but echoes within you. He asked me to break up with my boyfriend. At 17, when you've only had one boyfriend, that request is kind-of a BIG deal, ya know.I resisted at first but after a dream and a confirming word from someon who idn't even know me I heeded the voice of the Lord. It was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. In the moment, my boyfriend was crushed and didn't understand. I couldn't say that I completely understood either. I just knew what He said and I needed to obey.
Little did I know, just weeks later I would be dating Eric and in 4 months be engaged. It was one of those marking moments in my life where I was at a fork in the road and my decision would alter who I ended up marrying and ultimately where I am today.
Simutaneously, as I had heard the voice of the Lord ask me to break up, Erics girlfriend had heard the some thing. It's funny how God works, isn't it? Always giving us choice. Giving us freedom to hear Him and obey or not.
And so began the story of us. Of course, there are way more details but I don't want to bore you with details...lol.
After 7 years I love Eric more than I ever thought possible. His heart for Jesus and great capacity to love people is what captured my heart. The same things keep my heart drwn close to him. His pursuit of the Father challenges me to pursue Him. His patience with people challenges me to be patient. His dilligence in his work--whether scrubbing toilets or managing men-- teaches me to be dilligent. He is completely given to Jesus and in that has completely given himslef to raising our family in the fear and admonition of the Lord. He makes mistakes, of course, but he has a heart after the Father.
I am so thankful that God has given me to him and him to me. Some nights when I am so confused or so hurt or so sad...He always gets it. Like I said...maybe we share a brain:)
I love you Mr Mcbride. Whatever may come, may we hold hands through it and keep looking to Jesus, where our help comes from. For real, we have lived for richer for poorer, with air condition and without, with HEAT and without, with friends and without, with a car and with out, scrubbing toilets or being a manager, fussing babies or smiling ones, moment of crushing and moments of strength, and the list will continue.... He is enough for us. He gives and takes away but His love never fails! Thank you or being a true reflection of His love to your family and the world. May our lives remain true to this quote by David Brainerd
"I care not where I go, or how I live, or what I endure so that I may save souls. When I sleep I dream of them; when I awake they are first in my thoughts…no amount of scholastic attainment, of able and profound exposition of brilliant and stirring eloquence can atone for the absence of a deep impassioned sympathetic love for human souls."
Until next time my friends <3
andrea
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