Trusting a man with your heart can be difficult, but trusting God with your heart can be even harder… especially when it means surrendering to His will instead of your own.
From the time Naomi was a little girl, she hoped and dreamed to get married someday. When she finally met the man of her “dreams” it was tempting to take control, but she believed that God would let things play out if it was His way. She prayed and prayed for God’s will to be done and truly wanted to follow His plan for her life.
Turns out. God did want them to end up together! Today, Matt and Naomi are living their own version of a “Happily Ever After”, and it’s all because the best love stories are written by God!
Describe your husband in three words.
Handsome. Passionate. Hardworking.
How did you and your husband meet?
Bible Study Fellowship
Who was interested first?
Matt noticed me first at the young adults bible study we were both attending but eventually my sister helped me open my eyes to this amazing man right under my nose.
Mutual friends of ours organized a backpacking trip over Memorial weekend to Missouri. We were both invited 🙂
I really liked this guy, oh boy did I have a huge crush on this tall, blue eyed man
I knew if Matt pursued me I could potentially fall in love with him, he could very well be the one. He absolutely had all the great qualities and character I was looking for in a husband.
But he wasn’t letting on if he was interested in me so I did the only thing I could do, pray. For three weeks I prayed and pleaded with God to close the door if he’s not the one. Prayed over and over again “let thy will be done”. This waiting time strengthened my trust and faith in The Lord.
He finally asked me out to dinner and I was completely stunned, amazed, in awe of God’s amazing hand in this. There may have been some happy tears shed 😉
Fun fact: I knew he was the one by our third date. I WAS THAT SURE. He was it.
What qualities about your husband made you realize he was marriage material?
I had a mental list in my head what qualities I wanted in my future husband and Matt was everything I desired and prayed for in a husband.
I think it’s so important for single women to REALLY think about what qualities they want in their future husband, it sets the bar somewhere and if some mans comes along and doesn’t meet them “adios amigo”
His passion and love for Jesus really pulled me in and from there I was able to see his love for his family, his amazing leadership qualities (which was SO huge for me, I knew he would lead me and our future family so well) his love of God’s creation and his adventurous spirit, he has such a servant heart (we find so much joy in serving each other wholeheartedly) and lastly, he stole the hearts of all my nieces and nephews which in turn after dating only a little over a month, I absolutely fell over heels in love!!
What was your favorite detail of your wedding day?
The people: I was constantly amazed and humbled by all the love and gifts that friends and family showered over us on our wedding day and the days leading up to our wedding. Truly it was such a blessing to us.
Venue: It was everything I dreamed it would be. There’s something about planning this day for months and months and then seeing it come together and unfold to be this beautiful and magical day.
My dress & his suit: I felt so beautiful. Such a princess moment 🙂 AND he looked so dashing!
Dancing: Our first dance. It was 2.5 minutes of pure joy, gazing into each others eyes! Our first moments of like saying to each other “I can’t believe we are married” or “is this real”.
If I had one word to describe our wedding day, it would be: magical
What’s your best advice to young women in dating relationships?
Single ladies: Have FAITH. I know it sounds way too simple but we all know what God has done in each of our lives and He is so worthy of our trust and faith in him. Pray for your future husband, lift him up, ask God “let Your will be done in my life” and surrender it all to Him. He knows you -“I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me.” (John 10:14) He knows the desires of your heart – “Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4)
He has an amazing future planned for you, be patient, trust and have faith in our Father who loves us unconditionally.
Ladies who are dating/engaged: Keep asking GOOD questions. You both are still getting to know each other, it’s never too late to start asking the deep and tough questions. I would highly recommend the book by H. Norman Wright “101 questions to ask before you get engaged”. Matt and I went through this book when we were dating and it was a HUGE blessing in our relationship. It led us to dig deep and talk about the real stuff and be completely open with each other. Know the man in your life completely “warning—Never Marry (or get engaged to) a stranger.”
What’s your best advice for those pursuing sexual purity?
Boundaries: don’t be naive and think that it won’t be an issue. Be aware that there will be temptation and set healthy boundaries early in your relationship.
Accountability: we are the body of Christ, so include the body of Christ in your struggles and hardships. Remember you are not alone in this. People around you want to encourage and challenge you in your purity + more prayer warriors.
What has been your biggest lesson in marriage?
Communication: is a HUGE part of a marriage or any relationship for that matter. From day one Matt and I wanted and desired complete openness with each other, to be able to talk to about anything and everything.
I was able to communicate to Matt about, my hopes, dreams, struggles but most importantly how he hurt me and vice versa. Guess what? There is a guarantee that your husband will be insensitive, hurtful or just say something that makes you cry. But guess what? We hurt our husbands too, by our actions or thoughtlessness. So bottom line we hurt each other, NOT on purpose. There has NEVER been a time that Matt or I did something deliberately to hurt one another. We are sinners. We are selfish humans.
There is a couple in my life that has a very unhealthy pattern not talking or communicating about their hurts and continued to brush them under the rug and ignore them. I saw the damage and destruction it caused in their marriage and relationship first hand. This was not what Matt and I wanted to fall into.
Have FUN: enjoy each other. Journeying this path called life is hard, there are so many trials, struggles and hardships that can come your way. But in the hardships, LAUGH, have fun with each other and maybe try not to take life so seriously. Go on dates, fun excursions, leave your kids behind and go away just the two of you. Make unforgettable memories together that will last a lifetime.
How do you keep God the focus of your relationship?
Unity: being united as one with God in the center of our relationship. Praying together, studying God’s word together and worshiping together. Being very intentional with directing each other towards God.
Talking: having open, honest, and deep conversations about what God is doing in each of our lives. What he’s teaching us and how he’s speaking into our lives.
FOLLOW OUR SERIES #TRUELOVESTORIES
We interviewed some of our favorite couples to ask them what true love looks like. And we are so excited to introduce these stories to you. True love exists, and it’s worth the wait. #truelovestories #acrossmyheart
