my testimony

My purity testimony started when I was 13 years old when I was introduced to a book. Yes, a book. The title?  I Kissed Dating Goodbye by Joshua Harris. The title alone was enough to arouse my interest. I had grown up in a Christian home with Godly parents and there were plenty of Biblical rules and standards in our home. However, dating was one area that had never really been thought of much....until I read that book.

In I Kissed Dating Goodbye the author introduced a new attitude to me. Page after page, I was face to face with facts, common sense thinking, powerful stories from Godly couples, and Scripture calling us to "redeem the time" and "walk in wisdom." I realized that on my wedding day, I did not want a string of boyfriends behind me. I did not want to compare my husband with past flings. I did not want to form a habit of dating a guy, falling "in love," and then breaking up. That is good divorce training! I was inspired. And I was convicted. In the book I also read a story about a young couple who saved their first kiss for each other. WHAM!!!  The height of beauty and purity! I was completely sold on the idea and so it was then, at 13 years old, that I made a commitment to not only save my virginity for my wedding night, but also my first kiss. I made a commitment to not give my heart away over and over again in temporary dating relationships, choosing, rather, to save my heart, my body, and my love for my husband.

It wasn't easy. As the years passed, it became a struggle to say "No, thanks" to every boy, while watching my friends have a jolly time with their current significant other. I have to admit, there were times when I doubted God, when I wondered why I ever set my standards SO high. There were moments of weakness and moments when I wanted to write my own story. But God would always remind me, encourage me, and sustain me.

When I was 21 years old, I met my future husband. Of course, I had no idea that the handsome guy in front of me, shaking my hand and asking me out for Italian would be my husband one day. I remember looking at him, giving him a polite smile, and saying, again, "No, thank you. I don't date."  Little did I know that one day soon we would be courting! I had no idea that I would fall in love with him, but it didn't take long. Soon, I began to see his heart. I saw his passion for witnessing, his desire to preach, and his warrior spirit...and I was hooked! On January 31, 2009, a few weeks before my 23rd birthday, he got got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. And, of course, I said YES!!

Our wedding was April 17, 2010 at 2 p.m. in a beautiful log chapel in south Arkansas. I remember the morning of the wedding. As I woke up, had quiet time, and began to get my things together, I thought back to the years of waiting, the years of wondering when, or even IF, I would meet my prince charming. I thought about all the times friends would raise their eyebrows in disbelief or shake their heads laughing at my old fashioned ideals. I remembered the sarcastic remarks when I would tell others that I wanted God to be in control of my love life. I thought back to the lonely nights, the many journal entries, and the times I would try and encourage others to wait on the Lord as well. And now here was THE DAY!!! The day I had waited for and dreamed of my whole life. My Daddy walked me down the aisle, gave me away, then performed the ceremony. After Grant and I exchanged vows and rings, the time had come, and it was unbelievably fulfilling to have my Dad say, "You may kiss your bride, Grant."   And when his lips touched mine, I KNEW - it was all worth it. 

God's way is the best way. The only way. His Word says to save yourself for your future spouse. Of course, it does not command you to save your first kiss, but think about it this way:

You are someone's future husband/wife. Your spouse is out there right now! Would he/she like to see you right now? Sitting in a dark room? Making out in the car? 

I can assure you, they would want to be your first everything! So, let me encourage you - please wait! Our God is so faithful.