“You have to kiss a lot of frogs in order to find your prince!” my teacher stated to the class.
“Ugh, not this again!” I thought, “Why can’t he just teach English like other teachers, instead of making me feel insecure about my dating life? I can’t even land one frog, let alone a lot of them!"
Being a teenager, I was often forced to deal with people who wanted to counsel me in dating. But for some reason, the dating advice my English teacher regularly preached to the class always hit me hard. Though he was supposed to teach college-level writing composition, I barely remember anything he taught – other than his “love lectures.” He often pointed out that boys preferred sporty girls who didn’t wear makeup. As an avid makeup lover who was not athletic in the least, this advice shot down my confidence on more than one occasion.
Soon, I began dreading high school. Between my teacher’s dating advice, all the cute, sporty girls in the class, and basically everyone in my high school going out with someone, I began to think that no one would ever want to date, let alone marry, an awkward girl like me. I became extremely insecure. I wasn’t athletic, I wasn’t super smart, and I wasn’t flirty or cute. I was just kind of…well… boring.
My high school years went by, and I watched my peers move in and out of relationships. They seemed so happy! I longed to date also, to find the man I would marry, to go to the prom with him, to share experiences with him. As my high school days came to a close, it never happened.
I remember crying to a friend several months after graduation.
“When will God send me my husband?” I sobbed. “I am ready for a relationship! I want to be married more than anything!” I wiped at the tears rolling down my cheeks.
My friend calmly responded, “Jen, maybe you are ready, but maybe your future spouse isn’t ready to meet you yet.” She patted me on my shoulder. I stopped crying. This was one of the most helpful things my dear friend had ever told me.
That night, I remembered that mom had suggested years before that I should start praying for my future spouse. I laid in bed and prayed my heart out to God for my future husband. I prayed that God would get my husband ready for me and help him with whatever circumstances he might be going through.
As the months turned into years, I continued to pray for my future husband. It often felt like it was taking forever. I often felt insecure in my singleness. Rumors of why I wasn’t dating anyone regularly circulated about me. But I kept going back to the words of my dear friend, the godly advice from my mother, and the truths of the Bible. When I was in despair over my singleness, I prayed for my future husband that God would make him ready to meet me. Then I remembered Isaiah 40:31 – But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. This verse gave me renewed faith that God was hearing every prayer that left my lips.
Finally, God said it was time. I met my husband. His name was Garett. He liked me for who I was – a socially awkward, makeup-loving, un-sporty girl. We hit it off immediately and started dating.
As I got to know this wonderful man and learned his story, I realized that my dear friend was right. Garett would never have been ready to meet me while I was in high school. During that time, he was going through a tough relationship that left him broken and hurting. On top of that, our age difference would have been a problem as well. Even if we had met, we never would have started dating.
Through all of this, I learned that God’s timing is the best. He brought Garett and I together at an ideal season for both of us. He aligned each detail perfectly. He heard every single one of my prayers and was working in both of our lives so that we could meet each other under perfect circumstances.
Garett and I have now been married for five years. Even though he was never able to take me to my senior prom, we often dance in the living room. That’s good enough for me. I also learned something else:
Sometimes the first frog you kiss does turn out to be your prince.