Happy Valentine’s Day y’all! (well, day after valentine’s day now since this never posted!) It is day 45 of year 2019 and I am just now getting the chance to sit down and reflect on all that has happened in the first 45 days of the new year. A LOT has happened y’all and the Lord is teaching me much in this season of life. Valentine’s day has got me thinking a lot about this new season of life I have entered into and I wanted to share with y’all what’s going on in the life of Haley J!
This last summer I felt like the Lord was telling me to prepare my heart for a season of new beginnings. I had NO idea in that moment what that would entail, but it has been so sweet to see the things come to fruition that the Lord had planned for me from the start.
I was able to spend the beginning of this year surrounded with some of my dearest friends. We spent some time together at a very special place in the middle of a forest where the Lord has done so many things in our lives.
A new year began on January 1st, but a new journey started for me as well. My best friend in the whole world asked me if I would be his wife on this day and I said yes! My heart was and is still so full of joy at the thought of being Doug’s wife. I haven’t really written specifically about Doug in my blogs, but a lot of my blogs have been about him without y’all knowing. 🙂
For all of you who actually take the time to read these words I write (thank you thank you) I wanted to take some time to introduce you to Doug and let you get a glimpse into our story since you will be hearing a lot more about him as we begin this journey together!
So…meet Doug!
Doug is patient, loving, hilarious and such a sweet gentleman. This man is an encourager and this is something I admire most about him. As the Lord has called me to do various things (like move to the arctic tundra…aka Minnesota) Doug has never for a moment not encouraged me. Doug pushes me to follow the Lord and has always supported me no matter what the Lord calls me to do. I LOVE that I have a man whose heart is for me to love and obey Jesus above all else. What a gift it is.
Our story began back in the summer of 2016 at this pretty neat place in the middle of a pine forest called Lake Forest Ranch. A sweet friendship began that summer as we spent the summer loving on kiddos and telling them about the love of Jesus. As the summer ended our friendship thankfully did not. There were many miles between us (he is from florida and I am from mississippi), but after many months and many prayers, we began dating the spring of 2017. Although the miles continued to grow between us, the Lord was faithful and continued to grow our love for each other as we trusted Him day by day with the plans He had for us. We are so excited to begin this new phase of life the Lord is leading us to and are beyond thankful for all he has taught us in the waiting. Looking back over these past two years the Lord’s hard on our relationship is clearly seen, and we are beyond thankful for his faithfulness to us. I could literally write a book about our dating years and the many things the Lord did during that time. In fact, we might actually do that one day! But for now, we are counting down the days until there is no more distance and no more goodbyes. We have prayed for this day for so long and are so excited to begin this journey of serving the Lord together as husband and wife!
This season of engagement has been SO exciting, but also very stressful and overwhelming. With beginning my senior year of college, starting a new job and now getting ready to be a wife and move to the sunshine state…there is ALWAYS something to do.
But, in the middle of this craziness I am reminded of the importance of rest and choosing Jesus. Honestly, I haven’t done the greatest job at that during this season, but the Lord is reminding me of my need for him and the need to slow down and just be.
The Lord is also reminding me that there is purpose in the waiting. Ya know, it’s crazy how we always long for the next big thing. I have prayed for this season of life for years. Literally years y’all. And now that I am in it, I am just ready for it to be over and for the next season of life to begin so that I can be a wife. But, as I have prayed about this the Lord is reminding me that there is much he wants to do in my life during this time. This is a precious time and a sacred time and the Lord does not want to waste one second of it.
Something exciting that has happened lately is that I began a new job as a youth/children’s minister at a tiny small town church where I live. This job has been such a blessing and it has been a gift to work directly with children and students as I am in the process of getting my degree to do just that! I am thankful for this opportunity and also what the Lord is teaching me through it. This is something he has called me to during this season and I am certain he is using these things I am learning now to prepare me to be the best wife I can be for Doug. As I count down the days until I say I do, my prayer is “Lord on day ___ of the waiting would you teach me something new.” Y’all, it’s been so sweet to see the Lord answer this prayer as he is growing me and teaching me things I need to learn and work on before I become a wife.
So, there’s just a little update on life and some of the sweet things God has done in the 45 days of 2019. I have missed these nights typing away about all God has done and is doing and teaching me. Blogging is something that hasn’t been at the top of my to-do list, but something I long to do more of, especially in this season where I am learning so much.
There are always things to learn, friends. And there is always a reason for joy. I pray that in your season of waiting you will seek the Lord and allow him to change your perspective on the season of life you are in. I pray that you will view it as a time of growth and one that is not wasted. Not one second of it.
As we celebrate love today and the sweet people in our lives that love us, I pray that we will remember the one who loves us most and I pray that you will declare over your life the things that he says are true about you. The enemy can really use valentine’s day to get into the heads of those who feel alone, but I pray that you would rest in the truth of who God says you are. You are not alone, dear friend. You are amazing, worthy and enough. Trust him in the waiting and rest in his promises. He is good. Oh so good.
much love- Haley Nicole
haley nicole johns 