Match Made in Heaven

Its funny. I was so incredibly motivated to start a blog, yet in nearly 3 months, this will only be my third entry.
I have found that I need more than general motivation to have a blog, I need things that motivate me to write IN my blog. Perhaps I'm not someone who can just share every thought I have, or capture each revelation as it comes to me. I do not believe that I function well in the abstract. I need far more concrete, controlled things to write about.
This being said, I didn't find it odd that I was reminded to write in my blog on a day such as this. This day is nothing but concrete. It represents nothing but facts. This day does not remind me of "what-if's" or "maybe's" but rather it marks a day when all of the questions were answered.
9 years ago today, I was 14 going on 15. I had braces. My hair was pulled back in a pony tail so tight, that it nearly raised my eyebrows. I had Lipsmackers Lip Gloss, a macrame bracelet, and one of those apron-looking kerchiefs. It was 2001. I was just an awkward teen. I was a kid.
In March of that year, my family had begun attending a Bible study at a neighbor's house. It was there that I had a word spoken over me saying that I was to wait patiently for the man God had prepared, but that he was out there. I was 14, why was God telling me this now?
The year before that, I had felt God lay it upon my heart to dedicate my teen years to Him and Him alone. No boyfriends, no dates....a life of singleness. A life of complete purity. (Another blog, all in itself!)I was 13 when this was asked of me; I had no problem committing to this seemingly easy calling.

Then came October. Saturday, October 13, 2001 to be exact. I had recently taken a job, at the Bible Study hosts' house, cleaning on Saturday mornings. The hosts' names were Kay and Ernie Hamlin. They had a grandson named Andrew Stark.
I'd seen Andrew a few times. His family attended the Bible study too. I really never gave him much of a thought.
That amazing morning, 9 years ago today, I was cleaning the Hamlin's house. Andrew's family came over and were dressing fish outside. He didn't come in, and I didn't go out; we were busy with our own tasks.
I was cleaning windows in the dining room. Naturally, when cleaning windows, you look through them to check for smudges and spots. At that moment, Andrew was walking through the driveway toward the machine shed. He glanced towards the house. My world changed.As plain as day, I remember God saying to me: "Ally, THAT is the man I have for you." I quickly looked down, flustered and freaked, and finished my chores.
I must admit, no unspeakable joy ran through my veins. No excitement, no peace. I was furious. Why would God spoil the joy of me FALLING in love. Meeting someone, and figuring it out on my own. Just telling me like He did was NO FUN!
I struggled with this for an entire year. I was not happy.
Within that year, we started going to church with Andrew's family. Now I saw him every week. I had to admit, he was pretty cool. We became friends. But marry Andrew? Really? He was a great guy, but where was the romance in knowing my future mate at only 14?
Over that year, as much as I wrestled with God, I couldn't deny that Andrew possessed every quality I had ever dreamed of. He truly became my best and dearest friend and I finally accepted God's plan over my life. Actually, when I realized that I had accepted it, I found it to be an effortless action. I loved Andrew Stark. Not with giggly, superficial love, but with a true, deep love that had taken an entire year to form and mature. It was unquestionable.
Still, here was the kicker. I was called to singleness. I knew that God hadn't revealed things to me in the wrong order--He knew what He was doing. Andrew made his feelings known, and I told him of God's instructions for my teen years. Andrew supported me, and said he would wait.
Here is my favorite part of our story. When Andrew, a 15 year old kid, told me that he would wait for me to fulfill my commitment to God, I had to ask him how he could promise me that so very easily. He said, "About a year ago, I was at my grandparents' house, and you were there cleaning. I was going to the shed and I looked toward the house and you were washing windows. This had never happened to me before, but then God spoke to me. He said 'That is the girl for you.'"

How foolish of me to think that I had been robbed of romance and excitement. I thought that my story would be mundane and overly controlled. How wrong I was! The very Author of Romance, penned me the most beautiful tale of love, purity and truth. How could I have ever thought differently?
Andrew and I were madly in love all through highschool, but strove to be faithful to what God had called us to. Our first date was Decemeber 2005 (the winter after we graduated highschool) ; we were engaged October 18, 2006; and married on August 4, 2007.
It wasn't traditional. No, our story does not fit into many people's idea of what is romantic. However, in my opinion, I would be crazy not to think that I could have done any better than the Father of Love Himself.