Natasha – In December, Dysingers came to our house for Christmas, after which we would all go down to Phoenix for GYC. On Christmas Eve early in the afternoon, we went for a walk up the mesa behind our home. It’s a special place to me as I’ve gone up there nearly every day that I am home for the past 8 or so years to pray; and then it became more special for shared prayer and discussion after our relationship began. I was happy for the break from GYC work (which yes, I still needed to do on Christmas Eve and Christmas), and talked happily with him as we went along.
About two-thirds of the way back on the mesa (about half a mile) we came around the corner to a monument he built there back when he visited in June of 2012 after spending some time in prayer on the mesa. It is part of Isaiah 42:6 spelled out with small stones, and says, “I the Lord will hold thy hand.” As we rounded the corner I saw a red rose lying on the ground beside the monument, along with a heart-shaped rock which Paul had saved for two years for this special moment. Along with it was a star shaped note and rose petals sprinkled around. I didn’t catch on that he was going to propose and thought it was just something special for Christmas (!!!).
As we went on we came across a second rose… third rose… all the way to the seventh rose near the end of the mesa. And it was then as I looked at the last bit of the path left between us and the end of the mesa and saw it sprinkled with rose petals for 100 yards that I realized what was going to happen. I had never imagined this could possibly happen for another number of months, given the common knowledge that neither of us would desire to enter into marriage until my GYC term was over. When we got to the end Paul got down on one knee and proposed to me, sang a song for me, and received from me a very blessed, very honored, very happy “yes….a thousand times yes!
Paul – Truly, that beautiful winter day up on the Mesa was a dream come true times ten thousand thousands. Our God is amazing in His goodness, His grace, and His careful leading in our lives. I had actually spent some serious time in prayer and fasting about a month earlier to seek God’s guidance of when would be the best time to ask my beloved for her hand in marriage and He led in an unmistakable way to this very time.
Over the previous year and a half I had grown to love, admire, cherish, and adore my little princess in whole new ways. I never knew a young woman could be as beautiful, as honoring, as respecting, as gracious, and as loving as she. She filled my heart to overflowing and truly I have never met any young woman with as strong a desire and passion for true Godly femininity as I have found in her heart and that springs from her life – building up the men that surround her. I am beyond blessed to come so close to such a gem and claim her as my own.
And one day… I pray this world will see that she is indeed the most beloved, cherished, loved, pursued, and treasured girl to ever walk this little planet.
And all because He first loved us.