The Boy, the Map and the Campfire
Wait, do you have a map?
Yeah
Where are you going?
I don’t know, actually
The boy I bumped into tried to make sense of my situation - me with my messy hair, ripped jeans and torn map.
He took my map from me. What’s the use of a map if you don’t know where you’re headed?
I was standing in the middle of a path, and I was not very sure where to go next. The X on my map which marked my destination got torn off when I tripped over a fallen branch. I knew I had to be somewhere, I just did not know where.
He smiled reassuringly, put my map in his pocket and gestured to me to follow him. The path ahead looked treacherous and the unfamiliar sounds unnerved me, but the warmth of his person compelled me to trust him and keep going.
As we trudged through the forest, he comforted me with stories - stories of the sights he saw, the new paths he ventured on and the people he met during his journey.
There was one particular man that he wanted me to meet - someone who was strong, brave and loving.
We continued our journey for a few days and whenever we got weary, we would take a rest and pitch our tents.
I was looking up at the stars one night as the fire burned in front of us.
Tell me about you.
What do you want to know?
Everything.
Dear Future Life Partner,
Good news! Applications for my future life partner are finally open!
APPLICATION TO BE MY FUTURE LIFE PARTNER
Print out and submit as per instructions at the bottom of the form.
1. Full Name: _______________________________________________________ Date of Birth: ____________
2. Height:__________________ Weight: ___________________________ GPA: __________________________
3. Driving Class (Class 3 preferred): _________________ Drivers license #___________________________
4. Army Rank (Officers preferred): _________________________
5. Home address: _______________________________ City/State: __________________________________
6. Do you own a motorbike? ___ A truck with over-sized tires? ______________ A van? ______________
7. Do you have an earring, nose ring, belly-button ring? _____ A tattoo? ______
(If your answer to 6 or 7 is yes, discontinue application and leave premises.)
8. In ten words or less, what does LATE mean to you?
_______________________________________________________________
9. In ten words or less, what does ABSTINENCE mean to you?:
_______________________________________________________________
10. In ten words or less, what does KEEP YOUR HANDS TO YOURSELF mean to you?:
__________________________________________________________________________________________
11. Instruments you play (guitar is a must): _______ Are you a worship leader? _________________
12. Church you attend: __________________________ How often you attend: _____________________
13. When would be the best time to interview your Father, Mother, and Pastor? _________________
14. What ministry do you serve in? _________________________________________________________
15. How many chapters of Proverbs can you recite by memory? _______________________________
(Note: If answer is 5 or less, please end your application here.)
Answer by filling in the blanks. Please answer freely - all answers are confidential.
If I were shot, the last place on my body I would want wounded is in the ______________________
If I were beaten, the last bone I would want broken is my: ____________________________________
The one thing I hope this application does not ask me about is: _______________________________
The most important thing I look for in a girl is: ______________________________________________
(Note: If the answer has anything to do with physical characteristics, discontinue and leave premises. Keeping your head low and running in a serpentine fashion is advised.)
I swear that the information supplied above is true and correct to the best of my knowledge under penalty of, Native American ant torture, electrification, Chinese water torture, red hot pokers, death and dismemberment.
Signature _______________________________________
Thank you for your interest. Please allow 5 to 7 weeks for processing. You will be contacted in writing if you are approved. Please do not attempt to call or write. If your application is rejected, you will be notified by tall gentlemen wearing white coats and carrying a violin case.
Applicant’s right thumb print in blood
me & You
Many daughters have done well, but you excel them all.
These words still warm my heart whenever I recall being prayed over during one of the ministering services two years ago.
The Lord wants you to know that you never left your First Love. He says to you: you never lost Me. I was always here, pursuing you. I just want to see your face, I just want to hear your voice every day. I just want to be with you.
I remember just sitting there, awed that You would choose to pursue someone who spent her teen years running away from You. I remember telling You that day “Okay, Lord. No matter what happens in my life, no matter who comes or goes, I just want it to be me and You, forever.”
And that moment was just a stepping stone to all the great things that You had in store for me. I was no longer wandering, no longer running away, no longer uncertain of the season I was in. From that moment on, I just wanted to be with You, every day of my life. And what a journey these past two years have been.
You saw me through my heartache, my confusion and my valleys. But You also saw me at my mountains, my victories and through my every day.
​
When I look back at my teenage years and all the things I have been through - falling in love, struggling to find myself, striving to make something more of my life - I don’t remember the pain I experienced or the many tears I shed. What I do remember are the conversations we had about that same guy, the laughs we shared over my many embarrassing moments and the words You spoke to me during our walks together.
Growing up was not easy, but I see Your traces in every hurt I experienced, in every failure I met with and in every tear I shed.
Thank You for being my First Love and for teaching me how to love like You do.
Today, I want to celebrate You and this journey we have walked together.
Happy second anniversary, Lord!
This one's for You.