Ain't Sixteen Anymore.

You have potentially pinned the image on Pintrest, which highlights "someday someone will walk into your life and make you realize why it never worked out with anyone else." Or maybe you liked a quote and posted it on Facebook, which stated, "I am not single. I am not taken. I am simply on reserve for the one who deserves my heart." Or maybe you have even laughed and dreamed of the "Hey Girl" lines attached to Ryan Gosling. 

At sixteen, I thought I had this thing called, "love" figured out. 

Actually, I had it all planned and thoroughly written out.  I'd be married at twenty-two. I'd find the man I'd fall in love with at college and we'd marry shortly after. The moment I held his hand, I'd know he would be my husband. I envisioned we'd get married and travel the world together for a few years before settling down and raising our family. We'd buy our first home and at the house warming party, we'd announce the arrival of our first child. Eventually, I foresaw four little blonde children running around the house and filling each and every crack which such vibrant laughter. He'd chase them around the house, as I'd make dinner. We'd grow old, yet he'd still kiss me on the forehead and I'd get butterflies! Years would pass and we'd be siting in our rocking chairs on the front deck pondering life, the richness and depth of life we'd endured, as we'd marvel at how we experienced it together and that was all that mattered. 

Then I stumbled upon a list that I'd attached to the dream, which I had written at sixteen. 

A piece of my list read like this…

Recently, a friend told me that I needed to make a list, which outlined the qualities I was seeking in a guy. At first, I burst out laughing and quickly stated, "why?" She said, "you ain't going to ever find "Mr. Right, " yet I want you to understand what you deserve. Charlene, you deserve the best…"

So, if your the best…

• You have a personal and intimate relationship with God
• You play the guitar and are willing to teach me
• You are adventurous and random
• You enjoy looking up at the stars in the sky
• You engage in even the hard areas of life and ask, "how can I help?"
• You listen
• You have dreams and ambitions for life
• You make me laugh and tease me in a flirty way
• You like "power-hours" that contain a walk or hike
• You speak words of affirmation

At sixteen, I ended my list by stating, "I can wait for the best. I will simply smile and thank God for allowing me to be patient. For enabling me to know deep within my heart that he had someone specifically designed for me. I might be a sixteen-year-old girl with a list, yet this list has allowed me to guard my heart and wait for you to capture it. One day, our lives will be joined together and I will give you a beautiful gift: my heart. I will give it to you and ask that you will protect it, nurture it, and promise you will never let it go."

 "Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)." 

I ain't sixteen anymore, yet I still wait for love in my mid-twenties. As a result,  I am reminded of the love that my Heavenly Father richly lavishes upon me on a daily basis. I just have to ask! Such as, God can you reveal your love to me today? Furthermore, He is actually the one who holds my heart and protects it, nurtures it, and promises to never let it go.  He reminds me of His very character, since He is patient. He is kind. He does not envy, He does not boast, He is not proud. He does not dishonour others, He is not self-seeking, He is not easily angered, He keeps no records of wrongs. He does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth. He always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. His love never fails! 

In this valentine's season of chocolates and roses, may you ask God to reveal his very character of love. Furthermore, I think you will be pleasantly surprised who he brings into your life in a season of waiting….

With a heart willing to wait,

Charlene