Monday, May 14, 2012

our story [part 6]

Read Part 5 here.

Very rarely in my lifetime has Heavenly Father given me very direct answers to prayers.  In fact, even when I was trying to figure out whether or not I should marry Tim, my answer was, “You need to make that choice for yourself,” which is usually the answer I’m given.

His answer about dating again, however, was a very different situation.

I went to church on an empty stomach and a prayerful heart.  I’m not sure my prayers have ever been more sincere.  I was not just praying for me this time.  After all, my heart was not the only one on the line here.

Throughout the three hours of church, I still didn’t feel any closer to an answer.  I knew Heavenly Father was listening, but I just didn’t know what His answer was.  After church, I went to get “set apart” for a “calling” I had just been given.  [If you’re not of my faith, that basically means that you’re given some kind of an assignment in our church, and that they ordain you from God in a blessing to do the things associated with that assignment.]

No one in our bishopric knew what my situation was.  I’m not sure anyone in our congregation knew about it.  Which is why what they said in the blessing came as quite a shock.  I was told very specifically that I needed to start dating “righteous priesthood holders” and that I would be blessed for my obedience.  And as if that wasn’t shocking enough, Tim’s face flashed through my mind at that very instant.

When the blessing was done, I didn’t know what to think.  I walked out to my car and put my head against the hot steering wheel for who-knows-how-long trying to absorb what I had just been told.

Was that the answer to my prayer? I wondered.  Then, just as quickly, I knew it had been.  It was far too direct and too shocking to be anything else.

I drove home in somewhat of a daze.  Questions I didn’t know how to answer plagued my mind.

Out of habit, I checked my email soon after I got home.  There in my inbox was a message from Tim asking if I wanted to come over for a movie night at his house.  The butterflies in my stomach told me I wanted to go – to see him.

And suddenly I knew that someone was going to get hurt.  I didn’t know who.  But inevitably someone would. 


Continue on to Part 7.

2 comments:

Sara SHOEmaker said...

that is such an amazing story! That's totally how it works right-you get your answer when you least expect it. what a sweet start to your courtship :)


The House of Shoes

Emma Frances said...

Wow! What an incredible experience! I totally understand what you mean about not getting direct answers most of the time. It is AMAZING when we do get such direct, clear answers to our prayers. I can't wait to read the next installment! :)