I stood in church today, singing lyrics to a song, and for some reason I thought about the greatest love story I’ve ever known….

From the time I was young, I have always gravitated to romance novels when reading just for fun. It is an interesting quirk about me, as I would tell you that I don’t believe in fairy tales, prefer to not watch romantic movies, and love biographies where people have had strength forged through adversity. I value gritty, down in the trenches kind of stories about people who faced great odds and came out on top. But biographies are my second go-to leisure reading. Romance novels are my first.  I used to be embarrassed about the fact that I enjoyed an epic romance – which typically follows the same pattern: People meet. Go through adversity. End up together. Epilogue.  <—– I’m always disappointed when there isn’t an epilogue.  I don’t even care if the epilogue is two weeks later.  hahaha.  Okay, I digress….

My life has looked less like a romance novel, and more like that gritty biography I value. If my life were a romance novel, I’d have to say right now, we are still in the prologue….and it’s lengthy.  And sometimes hilarious. And sometimes not so funny.

But I stood there today and thought about the greatest LOVE story I’ve ever known.

It’s the story of a woman who has triumphed over tragedy and gained strength through adversity, become confident in who she is, and yet realizes she can’t do it all on her own. It’s about a woman who gets up, meets the world head on, reminds herself of her strength, and yet realizes there is beauty in weakness as well.  It’s a love that in the middle of the night, when worries seem many, burdens are heavy, and rest is hard to find, speaks peace and reminds you of all that you have already seen, and gives you hope for all that is yet to come. It has dried tears. Given shelter. Always pursues. It’s the story of a woman who sometimes still runs – maybe not in ways that others see – but who sometimes still will stop pursuit in fear of failure….yet, it constantly whispers that your trust is not misplaced. Never has been.  Never will be. It doesn’t allow for complacency, but always promotes growth. It’s a love that has shown a woman, who once doubted not her capacity to love, but others’ capacity to love her, and opened her eyes to the hearts of so many who seek only to see her succeed.

I’ve been single a long time. Every now and then, I see a post where someone is encouraging single women (mostly) to wait for the one true love the Lord is sending your way. I try very hard not to roll my eyes, since it is usually married women posting who haven’t been single in a long time.  Ladies and gentlemen, the one thing I can guarantee you is that unless my social media accounts ever get hacked by someone with a strange sense of humor, you will not see me post that. I mean, come on, those words aren’t super helpful when the smoke detector has malfunctioned and you can’t reach it to change it out, so you have to wait for someone to help you….twelve hours later. I’m just being real. And yes, I do look forward to the day when I see if all these years of taking the trash out myself makes me less likely to be grumpy with someone else’s everyday flaws, because I have done all the stuff – big and small – in my life for a long time. I’ve even (finally, as my sisters and closest friends would say), decided maybe I should start praying for that in my life. Someone to laugh with. Do mundane everyday things with. Share life with. But this isn’t about that kind of love.

The truth is – married or single, in a relationship, wanting a relationship, or hoping to the good Lord nobody even ever tries again – there are times and paths in life that you will seemingly walk alone. There will be moments when you wonder if anyone in this exact moment can understand how you feel, much less provide a moment of comfort and peace. I’ve had married friends who felt very lonely. I’ve had single friends who hoped for someone to complete them. I stopped looking for that a long time ago.

You see, I already found a love that completes me. A love that rescued me. A love that whispers “you are more than this moment, flaw, or failure”. A love that sees straight to the very being of who am I and doesn’t find me lacking. Instead finds me settled in exactly who I am and Whose I am.

While I wait for the day when this life is shared with someone else here on earth, I sit here confident in a love that is already found within me. A love that won’t forsake me, walk away, or leave me comfortless. Always pursues. A love that has made me whole.

Psalms 86: 11-13:

Teach me your ways, O Lord! That I may live according to your truth. Grant me purity of heart so that I may honor you. With all my heart, I will praise you O Lord my God. I will give glory to your name forever, for you love for me is great. You have rescued me from the depths of death.

Zephaniah 3:17:

 The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

Psalms 86:15:

But you, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry, and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. 

Psalms 37: 

The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall,  for the Lord upholds him with his hand.

Romans 5:8

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

And that, y’all, is a great love story. The greatest. Sacrificial. One that never fails. Never gives up. Is always secure. Always protects.

This is a beautiful life.