True Love Lives.

There are so many things being posted about this little significant piece of jewelry right here lately, and I thought I would write about what I have contemplated about them. 

First of all, I've owned like 6 in my life time from the point I was about 13 when I decided I wanted a "no boyfriend ring" in middle school. They have always been so special to me. I've dreamed about wearing a True Love Waits ring all the way up until a future spouse proposed to me and could replace it with a real one. And then on our wedding night I would give him the ring and tell him, " I have waited for you all these years...."

And then about a year and a half ago I decided I didn't want to wear it anymore. 

Noo, not because I didn't want to be pure anymore, but because at about that time, one of my biggest dreams had just fell through the floor, and the little piece of metal was a part of it. 

Most girls would agree that ever since the moment we fixed our eyes on some princess movie with a beautiful prince and a dazzling wedding dress we have remained in angst saying, "GOSH I can't WAIT to be MARRIIIIEEEDD!!!"Oh, the way he looked at her when she walked down the aisle, ah, can't wait. 

Along with many other young women, my ultimate desire and dream for the past 19 1/2 (almost 20!) years of my life, was to be married. To have that special guy to love. To be in love. To be adored. To have a constant companion. To have a special moment at the altar exchanging vows. To give myself totally over to him knowing that I had waited for him to arrive in my life. To finally be secure.

And one day, he walked through the door and straight in to my heart. I swore up and down that he was THE guy I was going to marry. Confident! It was as if God had just dropped him on my lap and given him to me. He loved Jesus, I loved Jesus, we both wanted to serve Jesus--together. We laughed together, cried together, made incredible memories. It was perfect.

What I thought would end in marriage ended in two gut wrenching break ups that crushed the both of us in many ways. Yet both times, through the pain and through the tears, we knew that it was totally on purpose, and totally God's plan for our lives and for His glory. 

Though there was freedom in obedience to God's will, my dreams of a dazzling wedding dress, a Pinterest perfect wedding, a friggin' awesome husband and rockin' marriage kind of shriveled up and faded. I was incredibly discouraged. I always heard songs about people experiencing a broken dream and  meanwhile PRAYING "God, PLEASE don't let me go through that, PLEASE don't take this from me." 

But it happened. 

And NOW I have to actually WAIT for God to bring Mr. Right into my life.

Boy. Oh. Boy. Can't wait. Hip. Hip. Hooray. 

((And that is where those little rings come in to play))

Now, I am not saying that I think purity rings are bad by ANY means. For many people ( myself included) they serve as symbols to God that the bearer of the ring is wholly committed to dedicating themselves to the Lord for his purposes and serve as a reminder that they love God and desire to be pure and holy before Him. 

However. The idea of "waiting for my future husband" has begun to lose its hype for me. 

First of all, 

It's DEPRESSING.

"Dang it, now I'm single. That means I am not in a relationship. Oh! That must mean that during this time of singleness, I must prepare to be the woman my future husband will need someday. I will become more domestic! Maybe a better cook? Probably should learn to do laundry right. Read lots of marriage books? Check! Ah... When my true love gets here, life will start. We can do all these neat things TOGETHER! After all, true love WAITS for one another right?"(These are Kaitlin's thoughts BTW)

Okay, so I exaggerated a little but what I am essentially saying is the thought of waiting for my true love to come so that  life can finally start doesn't sound... fun. In fact,  it sounds boring!

Is marriage TRULY all that I am living for? If that is the case, I feel that I will incredibly disappointed when someday, I am married and it is not worthy of being the MAIN goal of my entire existence. 

I exist BECAUSE of true love.

His name is Jesus. 

And I met him August 30th, 2008 when He revealed to me how much He truly loved and wanted me. 

He is ultimately true love.

The truth of the matter is, true love doesn't wait, true love LIVES! The ultimate act of true love took place when Jesus died and gave His life for SINNERS. When he allowed us to get rid of our lives of emptiness, shame and failure and trade it for a life of fulfillment, grace and love through HIS spirit. IT is HIS spirit that lives in those who have chosen to accept & follow Him. And because true love lives, I also live too. 

Singleness doesn't equal life stagnancy. With Jesus, whether you're single, in a relationship, or married you are FILLED and BLESSED with the ability to live life.

This whole escapade is not against purity rings or True Love Waits, it's against the idea that while you are single, you are in the waiting room for life to officially start getting good and exciting when you're husband walks in.  

I don't know about you, but when I meet my husband, my hearts desire is not that he would say, "I've been waiting for you all this time. I haven't moved, haven't taken really any risks, gone anywhere, or really done anything cool because, well, I've been waiting for you!"

B.O.R.I.N.G.

I want to be able to say, "Baby, I have lived it UP! I've had a ball, done crazy and stupid things, taken lots of pictures, made lots of friends, made some dumb decisions, made some really wise decisions, been through heaven, hell and back and I am ready to keep going!" 

Moral of the story:

Don't wait for true love, 

Get to know Him right now. 

And let His love and wonder push you to live life to the very fullest.