
During my freshman year at Arizona State, I was riding my bright yellow bicycle to an economics exam when my bike chain broke. It split into two pieces.
Annoyed at my misfortune, I walked my bike the rest of the way to the exam (I have moments where I’m still thrilled over the fact that I will never have to study economics ever again), and after it was over I walked it to the campus bike shop. They told me to come back in an hour or so and I would have a brand new chain and fully-functioning bicycle. So I went to get lunch, and then I walked back. The bike repair guy said, “I have good news and bad news. The bad news is we didn’t have any more gray bike chains. The good news is that we had a bright fuchsia one, so we put that one on your bike.” I was ecstatic. “Oh, and it also has sparkles. I hope that’s OK, too. And since it’s not what you asked for, we gave you a 50% discount.”
God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19
This one fantastic moment in the bike shop was a simple and concrete representation of so many things our good God has done in my life.
We often ask God for things or tell God what we need, and God always responds in some way, shape, or form. Indeed, His response is often a surprise, not always what we expect, and does not often come on our own timeline. He may give us something we did not think we need or something that is a little different. I am sure you can recall some of those moments in your own life.
Presently, I can see this scenario in the love story God is writing in my life. God has certainly given me a wild love story for the books. It will take me a very long time to write out the whole story one day, so I will share just a part of it with you.
I wondered for a long time in my teens and early twenties about what authentic love would be like. I went on dates with plenty of jerks, and over time this ultimately led me to hope . . . maybe I’ll find a nice guy one day. “Nice” was the bar I wanted to reach. My expectations were mediocre, in the same way that I hoped for a gray bike chain that one day in the bike shop. I thought a gray one was all I needed. I thought a nice guy was all I needed, too.
God certainly gave me more than “nice” and the surprise was that the man He wrote into my life lived in Europe. His name is Daniël and not only is he nice . . . he is convicted, strong, compassionate, selfless, and holy. In every women’s talk I give, I tell the women about a letter Daniël wrote to me. After spending some time together and before we began dating, he wrote me a letter that ended with this…
“I have desires to honor, protect, and serve you, but most importantly lead you closer to Christ in every possible way.”
Yes, I hoped for a guy who was decent and good. God has given me more than that…much, much more. God gave me a man who has shown me Christ day in and day out. I did not know what authentic love would look like in my own life, and Daniël has shown it to me in every way. Dating someone who lives 6,000 miles away takes a very serious, strong, and deep commitment. Daniël has stopped at nothing to commit to loving me, to sacrificing for me, to leading me to a stronger prayer life, and to helping me love myself for who I am. When the going has gotten rough, he has carried me forward. He prays for me and with me. He respects my body as my own and we choose chastity together and he makes me know well that I am honored and loved. And when it recently came time to really dig in and sacrifice, he did not flinch. He moved his life halfway around the planet to show me what true love really is…true love is great sacrifice. He has sacrificed the life he knows—the people he knows and the lifestyle he knows and the home he knows—to show me his love. And I am overwhelmed and grateful because I have received so much more than I ever thought I needed. I glimpse the love of the God of the universe in the way I am loved by this man.
I know well and deeply that when God provides in His ways and in His timing it is always better that we imagined. And it is always more beautiful than we thought it would be.
Women, don’t settle for less than amazing when it comes to the man you allow into your heart. If it be His will for your life, God will provide you with the most astounding love—if you settle for mediocre you will miss out on God’s plan, a plan of abundance and much more joy than you ever thought possible.
Ask the married couple at the wedding feast in Cana: They needed only a bit more wine, but God provided the astonishing abundance of 180 gallons.
We hope and we ask for gray, and God gives us fuchsia. And not only does God give us fuchsia, we get sparkles and half-off, too.
___________________________
Emily Wilson planned her whole life to become a sports reporter but ended up as a Catholic musician and speaker at the hand of God. She lives out of her suitcase and travels across the world speaking and singing with people of all ages. The heart of her ministry is offering encouragement to teen girls in their search for their true identity. “The world doesn’t need what women have, it needs what women are.” -St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. You can visit her website and listen to her music at www.emwilsonmusic.com.
34 Comments
What a great, inspirational story.
There’s really joy in waiting and surrendering to His will. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Thank you for sharing Emily. I’ve seen you at Steubenville San Diego for the past two years and I can see God’s presence within you. I too found that God provides us with more than we could ever imagine if we just wait in His time
Thank you for sharing Emily. I’ve seen you at Steubenville San Diego for the past two years and I can see God’s presence within you. I too found that God provides us with more than we could ever imagine if we just wait in His time
That was beautiful. I’m too young to decide as the grownups say but I’ve almost but have all given up on meeting the right person when I see the men around me and the community. I’ll keep this article close to heart, and maybe, when I’m ready, God will provide me that glittery fuchsia bike chain 🙂
What a lovely story, how you have allowed God to work in your life. You are an inspiration to all people to who want a true relationship with God. God Bless you.
What a lovely story, how you have allowed God to work in your life. You are an inspiration to all people to who want a true relationship with God. God Bless you.
This is precisely what I needed to read tonight. Thank you so much!
Thank you so much for this. I have recently gone through a breakup, and the hardest part right now is convincing myself that God has something bigger in store for me. This story really inspired me!
God certainly has something better in store. Keep believing that and don’t give up hope!
Hi Emily! I really liked your article and it made a lot of sense. I’m in my first dating relationship right now so articles like these from solid Catholics are really helpful 🙂 I was reading your info at the bottom of the article and I had a question. I am a theology student right now and I really just want to spend my life teaching people about God and His Church and loving them. I was wondering if you could tell me a little more about your ministry, because I love the idea of traveling around, meeting new people, and using music and speaking to evangelize. It just sounds like something that I really want to do and I’m just curious as to how you do this ministry? Thanks a bunch, keep up the good work and God bless 🙂
Hey Emily! I’m currently writing an article about this, as I get a lot of questions from many women about it. Stay tuned!
This really touched my core thank you
I love this!! What an amazing story, I just wanted to tell you that you give me hope! Stories like these remind me why I never should settle. Thanks!
Nice 🙂
and i think you should have mentioned what one should do for receiving this graces – i mean daily prayer for your future spouse or a small prayer at all the times when you get thoughts about your future spouse or when you see a beautiful and attractive men or women somewhere 🙂
ALL PRAY : “GOD, PLEASE GIVE ME A NICE HUSBAND/WIFE”
FEW PRAY : “GOD MAKE ME A NICE HUSBAND/WIFE”
Keep writing …. 🙂
God bless you and your loved ones 🙂
Well said. Never saw it that way. If marriage is about giving, one can only give what one has. #holiness
Thank you for your great article. Just what I needed to hear. Thank you for giving me strength. 🙂
What a beautiful story! Thanks for sharing it with us! God bless you!
What a wonderful article!!!!
as a father I have come to realize that God has given me more than a wife but also my sons their future wives. God not only blessed you but you and your boyfriend’s parents with their spouses!
Hello, thank so much for your sharing. You give me hope that all things are possible in true love, and that God will bless those who believe and those who follow his teachings. All we have to do is to open our heart and receive, and say “thank you, Lord.”
Thank you.
I absolutely love your article! Your first example jut really made it clear to me in how God really does have a bigger and better plan for out lives. I instantly knew this was your story when you mentioned daniël living in Europe. I’ve heard you talk and sing many times. I love why you do. You’re such an inspiration! God bless!
I share your story.
I loved this and feel as if you wrote it about me! I settled for “nice” guys for so long and when I finally put my trust in God and gave him the reins, he blessed me with a man who was above and beyond. God is good!
So grateful to hear that God provided for you in the same way He provided for me. He is certainly generous and good!
Thank you for sharing your beautiful love story. I will be sure to share this with my daughter.
Awesome, I pray that all young people would have access to this beautiful story, when they start dating,
there would be less divorces. Praise God!
What a wonderfully written article!!! Really loving your message-currently checking out your website and sharing with the girls group at my parish!
fabulous story!!! I can also attest that you should never settle…I did and it was a disaster, then I finally turned to God and he found a Holy, honest, man of integrity for me…of course with the help of the Blessed Mother
Such a raw topic, and she hit it right on the nail. Thanks for reminding us all of this type of love that truly exist.
Thank you dearest sister in Jesus. Am hoping that very soon, you can visit us in a youth gathering here in the City of Love – Iloilo City. Philippines.
The article is brilliant! Thanks a ton!
The article is brilliant, thanks a ton.
-From Bombay, India.