How I Got Here (Part Two)

If I'm ever given the chance to give young people one piece of advice, I would caution them to choose wisely the path they're about to head down. The decisions one makes in their youth determines their life course and often once you've chosen it, you can't go back.

I definitely was at a crossroads all those years ago. Both paths seemed uncertain and I didn't know what to expect.

Our culture says, follow your heart!

( "...He who chases fantasies lacks judgment." Proverbs 12:11)

And,

Do what's right for you!

( "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." Proverbs 16:25)

I stated in Part One, "I was sure I'd make it back to London, but it's now been over a decade and I've never been back."

(If you're new here, please go to "How I Got Here, Part One". I have filed it under the "Family Stories" label on the right side of the home page.)

I didn't know it at the time, but pursuing my career in London would have been "following my heart" and would not have been God's best for me.

I am thankful now that He rescued me.

This is how I got here... Part Two....

~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~

I agreed to that "one date" with Micah over ten years ago, and I still remember calling John to tell him not to expect me.

I made a silent wish in my heart that I wouldn't regret it.

I had no idea I would soon marry him, but I knew my life would change.

We began dating.

It was the best year of my life.

As I began to get to know him better, I realized we had shared a love for the outdoors. We were having so much fun...

We were always outside....

We were trying new things...

Exploring new places...

We loved being on the water...

We loved being in the woods...

We were all over the place....

By now, London was a distant memory. Micah and I were having too much fun and I didn't want it to end.

We'd rent horses...

We'd travel...

We'd goof off...

We were young, and we were falling in love. God was putting it all together.

He had plans for us.

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

But it would be years before we'd see those plans or feel that hope.

I'd love to put a wedding picture right here and say, "We lived happily ever after, The End." But that would not be truthful. That is not the end of our story.

What we didn't know is that the Devil had plans for us, too.

"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8

Sadly, we weren't alert. We were in that drug-like fog called love and couldn't see what was up ahead. The devil was behind the scenes, planning to enter our newlywed life and launch an attack.

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy...." 

I feel compelled to write about the hard stuff next. It's out of my comfort zone and I've been praying over how to best tread these waters as I write. But I feel the Lord telling me, "Someone needs to read about it. It'll be a blessing to others." So, please pray for me, friends, as I compose Part Three, and join me back here in a few days.

"... but I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." John 10:10

To be continued......