Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Expire (08/01/13)
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TITLE: The Greatest of These... | Previous Challenge Entry
By Richard Hicks
08/08/13 -
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It was late summer, 1982 when we met, I was eighteen and she was fourteen. This would be my last youth group retreat experience before going to college, and it was one that would change my life in more ways than I knew at the time.
I have a love for music that always would draw me to the piano area. One day I found out this pretty girl named Fonda was going to sing a solo and when I told the pianist I knew the song, she set us up to do a duet in the youth service. I never had an opportunity to sing a duet, so I jumped at the chance to sing with her.
We sang a song called “The New Twenty-third.” I was smitten with Fonda from the get-go, but camp ended and then summer faded into the shadows. In the fall of that same year, I had come to know Jesus personally as my Lord and Savior. I felt that I should write Fonda and tell her about my experience. It did not take too much investigation to figure out her address. It turned out that Fonda lived thirty miles from me, and I had relatives that lived in that same town.
We started writing letters back and forth after that. A mail romance blossomed, but because of our age difference both of our parents were against it. We lost contact with each other when I left home.
After moving on to different locations we both eventually got married and moved on with our lives. Twenty eight years passed by and I was feeling quite lonely after my divorce in 2002, so I decided to join Facebook one day in 2010. When I logged on one day, I decided to do a random people search. I put Fonda’s name in the search engine and I finally found her Facebook profile.
I emailed Fonda and asked how she was doing. She had been through a divorce too. From there we started emailing, texting, and dating. She lived in another state, but we made it work. I would visit her and she would visit me.
From our first duet in high school until 2010 when we met again, we are still in harmony together and our love is still very much alive. We then married in October, what a rich blessing God has given us both.
What God had started with a spark many years ago, has grown into a great love today. Love has no expiration date in God’s book. For those of you who may be single and have given up I have good news -- romance could be around the corner. Jesus loves us all and is no respecter of persons.
Today, I think about that scripture that has been ingrained in our hearts, Psalm 23. Because God is our shepherd we have everything we need. He leads, guides, and gives us rest. Even when we go through the valley, even then, He is right there with us and will be until the end of time.
What awesome promises Fonda and I proclaimed that day in 1982, and still to this day. Our love story is a witness that God at times puts our dreams on hold. If we wait and hold on in faith, He will perform His word in our lives. We can always depend on God for it says in His word: Isaiah 40:7-8 (NKJV)
“Jesus, help us to all know Your love first and foremost. I pray for my brothers and sisters in Christ, where it is Your will, help them each find that special love to share their life with in marriage. I thank You for the testimony of love and grace that you gave to us from Your unfailing gift Father, may we be faithful stewards. Amen”
1 Corinthians 13:13 (NKJV)
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Your story is very well done, Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for sharing your love story, it was well written, and pulled at my heartstrings.
God bless~
I loved this!
I think you handle the tense change quite expertly. The only thing I might have seen on that issue was this line: I have a love for music that always would draw me to the piano area
It's tricky because obviously you still have a love of music today. I wonder if this would have worked: I had a love of music so strong that even today it still draws me to the piano. Though that doesn't read very smoothly. Maybe: my love of music drew me to the piano.
It doesn't say that you still have a love of music today, but it keeps the tense consistent and then in the end you could add that Today we still make beautiful music together. (Okay that's too corny, but I hope it helped some.)
I think you did a great job of this piece. You handled the topic in a fresh and wonderful way. The fact that it is a true story makes it even more powerful Congratulations on your HC! Happy Dance!!