God’s Love for Romance
God is a romantic God. Don’t ever think He isn’t! He is the most creative Being in the universe. He created everything, including marriage. In fact, the first relationship we know about in Scripture—Adam and Eve in the garden—He put together Himself as the model He wanted the rest of humanity to follow.
When Leon and I met, we both felt the hand of God. We also sensed His romantic heart. Leon felt a longing to get to know me, because he thought I was the most beautiful and godly young lady he had ever met. For me, this tall, handsome American was my dream come true: the promise of romance and answered prayers.
Neither of us really knew if this was God’s will for us until a couple of years later, but right away we experienced longing and the sweet romantic desire for each other. This kind of longing in the human heart is a reflection of God’s own romantic heart. We were made in His image, and He loves romance.
This week Leon and I celebrate our 34th wedding anniversary. That might seem like a long time, but it feels like just a few years to me. I hope and pray we live to be 100 and that Jesus comes back for the second time during those 100 years, so I can have even longer with my honey as my beloved earthly husband.
When I have conversations with Leon about what it will be like in heaven, he says, “We’ll be like angels. So we better take advantage of this gift here, if you know what I mean…” Ha!
What a beautiful thing it has been to be married to Leon. Marriage is a gift full of many amazing and wonderful surprises, as well as some tough ones to navigate and learn through. But all of these things have helped us continue becoming more and more “the one” for each other. We are growing as the husband and wife God designed us to be.
The Importance of Being Open-Minded
One thing that happens in relationships is wanting certain things for ourselves that keep us from God’s will.
What would life be like if Leon and I had closed our minds and hearts to a long-distance relationship?
“No. I will only marry someone from my own country.”
“She has to be American.”
“He has to be a native Spanish speaker, or I’m not interested.”
Everything would have been different! We wouldn’t have our children, and we wouldn’t have this ministry.
What if Jim and Elizabeth Elliott hadn’t followed God’s guidance to get married and move to a different nation as missionaries? So many souls in the jungles of my homeland would have been lost.
Or what about Ed and Ruth Silvoso, whose ministry of transformation goes all over the world? I have been reading about their love story lately, and God has done remarkable things for them.
Not every couple is called to have a long-distance relationship or to move to a foreign nation as missionaries. Some couples find each other in their hometown, home church, or even right next door—and that is exactly what God has for them. I am convinced the most important thing for every couple is to be open to His heart in their relationship.
In my case, I never imagined meeting someone from a different country and marrying him. I never imagined leaving my beloved family and beautiful hometown. These things never even crossed my mind—but they happened because our marriage was God’s perfect will for us.
Some of the people who sit down with Leon and me to talk about dating and godly marriage have never entertained the idea of a long-distance relationship or marrying someone from a different country and culture. But as we’ve discussed it with them, they go through a change of mind and realize that anything is possible with God. They end up having amazing marriages that—blessedly—do not look the way they first expected!
God’s Extreme Creativity in Romance
I don’t mean to promote long-distance relationships or “missionary marriages” here, but I would like to ask you to consider God’s creativity in romance. It is one of the most fascinating parts of life.
If you invite Him into your romantic life early on, He will bless you with a beautiful love story. He cares about every detail of your life, including your most intimate desires, and He has something amazing in mind for you, just as He did for Leon and me.
Happy Anniversary to My Love, Leon!
I thank God for His perfect will and for being the center of our marital covenant. We couldn’t have done any of this without Him by our side. Thank you to all the amazing people who continually pray for us, and thank you, honey, for your unconditional agape love. I love you with all my heart! You definitely love and follow our Lord with all your might.
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Your heavenly Father loves you more than you realize! For more about His amazing, unending love, check out Becoming the One by Salomé Roat. Click here to learn more. The book is also available in Spanish.