I’m a sucker for Hallmark Christmas movies. This led to a tradition during my single years of praying to God for my own romantic Christmas movie love story. Cheesy, I know. But when you’re single and waiting for 10 or so years, you begin to want all the cheese you can get. All of it.
When the time came, and I knew I was ready to meet the right person, I simply prayed that God would allow me to meet my future husband in time for a Christmas date. No pressure, right? It’s just a Christmas date I was asking for.
As Christmas neared with only coal in sight, I began to think this would be another year of Hallmark movies for me. I did my normal single-girl thing, planned activities with friends, enjoyed the Christmas cheer, and continued pressing in with the Lord.
But one day, I broke. I sat at the church altar crying to a friend as I confessed I was ready to be a wife and was getting weary in the wait. I mean, ten years is a bit much, right? She graciously wiped my tears and boldly said, “Okay, are you ready to meet Danny?”
A little context here, Danny wasn’t new. He was a leader at this church, a man I knew and had conversations with in the past. He also served alongside my friend Lori, and she had been pressing me to “meet” him for dating purposes. She was relentless. I never considered him in that way, so I always managed to wiggle myself away from her nudges, but this night was different. It was as if she could sense my spirit was ready to meet him.
In a pretty awkward way, she yelled across the room, “Hey Danny, come meet Rosie!” I was trying to hide in any way I could. Did I mention I was crying and kind of a mess when this was happening? More embarrassment added to my plate; thank you, Lori.
Danny walked up, cool, calm, and collected. He began joking that Lori was a matchmaker. It turns out he wasn’t joking at all. All of her pressing and pushing came from years of experience helping to match people and bring them together. Funny that she never mentioned that to me herself, though.
Through Lori’s persistence and Danny’s smooth-talking, I agreed to coffee.
Coffee led to conversations, and conversations led to Christmas Eve dinner parties, but I still wasn’t convinced of anything. And to be honest, I wasn’t even thinking of any previous prayers about Christmas dates or future husbands. I was just taking things one conversation at a time.
As Christmas day arrived, I was invited to spend the day with Danny and friends, but I declined. Actually, if you ask him, I stood him up. I decided to spend the day with the Lord and be with God first before anyone else, even a date.
Later, I called Danny and let him know I was free. All I wanted to do was sit in the cold weather and stare at the beautiful Christmas trees. He wasn’t a fan of the cold, but he pursued me right where I was, freezing weather and all.
As we went to dinner that night, still not convinced I wanted to date this man, I began to put my walls up. I began to pull away.
But I felt the Lord tugging. He simply said, “Rosie, I am trying to answer your prayers. Will you let me?” And He reminded me of my prayer to have a simple Christmas date with my future husband.
I was stunned. In all of my years of singleness, I never heard anything like this from the Lord. So, I responded with a simple “Okay, Lord.” and I let myself enjoy the rest of our Christmas date.
The story continues to weave into something that only God could have orchestrated. And yes, this man is now my husband.
God could have let me continue with a bad heart attitude that Christmas day. He could have allowed me to slowly reject that man. But He graciously and firmly reminded me that He wanted to answer my prayers; I could either enjoy it or push love away.
That Christmas date was simple, it was quiet, and there was nothing magical about it on the outside. But in the heavenlies and in my heart, that Christmas date was and will always be the most special Christmas date for me. It was the day God reminded me that He hears every prayer, every tear, and every desire. And He answers even the cheesiest prayer.
Christmas Date 2021