Never Say Never...

A fifteen-year younger version of myself had professed that she would never marry a pastor. I had witnessed how miserable they were, they seem to be serving a God that was incapable to meet their own needs. In my mind there was a clear contradiction with I was reading from the same bible they taught each Sunday. So I had sworn never to get hitched to one. Guess what? Today I'm married to one, how ironic is that?

I've witnessed many times my sisters in the Lord pray for a husband. Usually during that period of time different kinds of potentials would emerge, and I'm going to focus only on two of them:
- There's the stubborn non-believer: He has it all, educated, good career, takes care of himself and his family, can speak to a lady's heart but he is just not the bible thumper, overly religious kind. At this stage, if the sister is strong and deeply rooted in her faith and convictions, then she'll turn him down, non-negotiable. If she is not that strong, then she will hang on with the non-believer in the hopes that he may "change" his mind or just to fill-up the lonely times. After all no one is perfect, why should he be disqualified because he doesn't go to Church? Besides, those people in church, they're bunch of hypocrites, she will reason. Best case scenario, the non-believer breaks up the relationship and moves on or worst case scenario, the sister agrees to marry him still hoping he'll change his mind. One, two or three or more years will pass, nothing will change, one two or three kids aligned, nothing. It's misery, she tries not to focus on the God thing but it always pops up somehow. We know the drill. At this point it can go either way.
- Then there's the sweet believer. I call him sweet because he has everything the sister needs and a few of what she wants. He's a believer alright, serious with God alright, but there's just this thing she doesn't like about him: the way he talks, the way he dresses, sometimes a bit of resentment of his unshakable desire to serve The Lord, his physique or just something that she can't see herself live with for the rest of her life. And this thing that should belong in the category of 'non-deal breaker' becomes a major roadblock that, most times, puts an end to what could have been the most wonderful gift of her life.
One thing I've already learned in this still short life of mine is that God's best gifts often come in a less than desirable package, and only those whose desire above everything else is to please Him can identify them even in their wrap. Only one rooted in prayer and fellowship with Jesus can unwrap the delicatessen of heavens.