Rachel's Reflections

January 19 - Part 2 Wait, was I actually in a relationship? For years, I had been asking God for a husband. In fact, when I turned 18, I said, "Okay, God, I'm old enough." But year after year, I waited. Sometimes patiently, sometimes satisfied with the life around me, but some days lacking contentment, not even knowing what it felt like to be in an official relationship.  After leaving Geraldo in the church parking lot,  I drove to the refugee home I had promised to visit, but I barely focused.   I couldn't believe I was in a relationship. As soon as I got back in my car after the refugee visit, I called my friend Sarah. "Are you home?" I asked her. I needed to rehash everything with her to verify whether it was real or not. What if I had misunderstood what Geraldo had said? He hadn't said anything about a relationship, or dating, or called me his girlfriend, or what was next, or when we would see each other again. "Yes, I'm home," Sarah re...

January 19 - Part 1 When I woke up the next morning after seeing Geraldo for the second time at the coffee shop, I continued with life as normal. It was Sunday, so I went to the 9:30 service at my church, as always. I sat in the same spot, as always. I saw Geraldo talking to someone in the foyer, but I made my way to my Sunday school class (Catalyst), as always. I was early to Catalyst, so I picked a seat between two girls to talk with them before the class started. Suddenly, my phone rang. It was Geraldo. I almost didn't answer my phone. I didn't want to. I don't know what compelled me to do it, but I answered. "Where are you?" he asked.  "In Catalyst," I replied. "Is that the class that guy invited me to?" "Yes," "I don't know where that is," he said, but I could hear it in his voice. He wanted to come, he wanted to see me, but he didn't know where the classroom was. I closed my eyes and sighed, "It's okay...

"Rachel, there was a new guy at Small Group last night!" Lydia told me the first week of October. "You should meet him!" "We'll see," I said with a shrug. I had given up on guys at that point. I had liked a guy months before who had just played with my heart. I had tried online dating but quit after two months. I decided that if God wanted me married, He'd have to throw someone in my lap. I wasn't going out of my way or holding out any wishful thinking anymore. I'd stay focused on ministry for the time being.  When I met Geraldo at Small Group the next week, I didn't pay much attention. He seemed like a nice enough addition to our Bible study group, solid in his faith in a lot of ways, but he said one thing I disagreed with about the prosperity gospel and Benny Hinn, so I wrote him off and carried on with life. Three months passed. Occasionally, Lydia would tease me about him, but I always told her I wasn't interested in him because...