So, I have been much less active on the website recently but after you read the story you will know why :) I have had other plans brewing in the meantime ;)
I suppose the story could start in Sept of 2009. I was on my way to a Bible conference in Arlington, WA and was in the process of of a lot of change, submission to God, etc. I had realized I was not where I needed to be to sustain any healthy relationship and needed to concentrate on God first. I was reading a bunch of books about relationships and while I was on the plane I decided that I was going to write a letter to my future wife (whoever that may be). I wrote to her expecting that if she was reading the letter she would know my failures, my past, my strengths, my weaknesses, but I wanted her to specifically know that I had to start living my life for God if I was ever going to be the man she needed me to be. This isn't to say I didn't make mistakes since Sept of 2009, but God took a spark and began to kindle that fire. I am thankful as to where I am today because of that day. But in Sept, I wrote to my wife marking the day that I would begin a process of becoming the man she would need me to be. I told her that I love her.
Fast forward to 2011 when I got reacquainted with a girl named Julia Jolin. At first, I had no intention of pursuing any type of relationship with her. I was in a good place with God and was very content with my singleness. God was doing a good work in me! Our friendship began to blossom and soon it was clear that there was something going on that was bigger than ourselves. It wasn’t long before I knew this was the girl I would marry, the girl that God had been molding me for, and the girl that God had been molding for me.
A few months before Christmas Julia had mentioned that she wanted a KJV Bible because all she had was NIV and ESV. I lodged that in the back of my mind and one day had a brilliant idea. I ordered a nice KJV Bible and decided that I would get her name inscribed on the front of the Bible. However, I got “Julia Brielle McMichael” written and below that was “Proverbs 18:22”. When I received the Bible in the mail I was so excited about it and stashed it away. Julia never knew I had even ordered it. As Christmas approached we decided we wouldn’t buy gifts for each other in an attempt to save some money. At this point we had been talking about marriage and the possibilities. She was still at Liberty University until December 13th, 2011. Julia decided to go visit my parents from the 9th to the 11th for her final weekend down south. What she didn’t know is that on the 10th I went ring shopping with one of my best friends and bought a ring. The ring arrived at my house the following Saturday. Although I knew I wanted to ask her ASAP I had two things standing in my way. First, I had not yet asked her father’s permission and second, I was leaving for Florida on the 24th until the 30th and I didn’t want to ask her to marry me and then leave for a week. I knew she wouldn’t like that very much. So the planning got tricky.
Now, what I didn’t know was that Julia was casually going through my phone and saw something she never intended on seeing. She now knew that I had purchased a ring and freaked out but she never told me she knew I bought a ring. I leave for Florida and have a great vacation with my family and return on the 30th. We spend New Year’s Eve going to Ocean City to ride bikes on the boardwalk and just have a fun day together. We leave there and drive back to her parent’s house for a New Year’s Eve party at their house with some family and friends. On the way home I noticed Julia was a little… upset. If you know Julia, you know what I’m talking about. At this point, I’m putting things together and I know she was maybe expecting a proposal (what girl wouldn’t knowing the guy has a ring??) Of course, I didn’t know she knew I had the ring and so I tell her that I don’t even want to buy a ring until after I talk to her parents. I didn’t know she knew I was lying. Well on the second of January, we spend the morning/afternoon at her parent’s house with some family that came to visit that they haven’t seen in a long time. Julia and I had plans to go out for dinner. I had mentioned to her mom that I would like to talk to her and Mr. Jolin soon. In the morning, shortly after I got there, her mom and I went out to get some groceries and bagels. This is when I am informed that Julia knows I have a ring. I didn’t know how she knew but now I know she knows. Little did anyone know that I had the ring in my car. Julia and I leave for dinner and as we are driving I tell her that her mom said something very interesting to me earlier. We talk about how she accidentally found out and was so mad and upset that she did. Obviously at first I was upset and I told her that now I’ll have to re-plan some things because it’s not really a surprise anymore and it would probably be a while before I proposed. I also reassured her that I really am not upset or mad because we had been talking about marriage so obviously she knew it was coming eventually and in the long run it really doesn’t matter. We had a lovely dinner and came back to her house. I decided now that she knew I had the ring it was ok to sit down as a couple and talk to her parents. So that is what we did. Needless to say the conversation went really well and he said yes. I was much more concerned about this yes than I was about Julia’s. Her dad was joking about proposing right there in front of him since his daughter had been talking about weddings and engagement non-stop so he could finally stop hearing about it haha. We laughed and her parents went off to bed. Julia and I read every night so I asked her to go get her Bible. God worked this little detail out for me as she says “oh, I think I left my Bible we usually read with in my car.” I tell her not to worry, I’ll run out to my car and get mine.
Remember that Bible I ordered a while ago? Well I had that all wrapped in my car as well. So I bring in my Bible, the wrapped Bible, and the ring in my pocket. I sit down and place the present on the table and tell her that even though we agreed on no gifts, I had bought this one a while ago (it was actually before we decided that). I just ask her to open it for me. She opens it and is speechless that it is her name with my last name (still not realizing what I’m setting up here). She sees “Proverbs 18:22” and wonders what verse that is. I predicted her perfectly. Remember the letter I wrote in Sept of 2009? As she turns to the verse, she finds a piece of paper stuck in the page at that verse. She reads the letter with tear filled eyes. I then ask her to read the verse:
“Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord.”
I ask her if she can stand up and give me a hug. I say that I love her and she replies in our usual fashion with “I love you more”. I whisper “I think I love you more…” and pull out the ring and get down on one knee and ask the beautiful girl standing in front of me if she will marry me.
Of course, she said Yes (after she caught her breath).
That night I had her read Proverbs 18 and I read Proverbs 23. Proverbs 23:26 had become my favorite verse over the years as I realized the pleading of God for my heart.
“My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.”
That night was really the culmination of that verse as I discovered a small part of the result of giving God my heart so I could observe His ways.
After praying together as a newly engaged couple and thanking God for His leading, blessing, and kindness in the past and to continue in our future I grabbed the Bible again and read 1 Corinthians 13. Promising that this will be the model of love found in our relationship. That we will love like Christ loves us.
Words cannot express the thankfulness I have and the joy from finally finding the girl who God brought into my life and had been molding me for. The path we each took was certainly not the easiest but we cannot deny that it was the best. God used every circumstance, every mistake, and every triumph to His glory. Our prayer is that we will continue to be give God praise, honor, and glory and display to others the love of Christ. Pray with us as we begin a new chapter in our lives together.
Rob + Julia
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