Melissa's Story part 1

TALE OF THE FOUR BRIDES

"My True-Life Fairy Tale"

By Melissa P.

I professed faith in Jesus Christ when I was 7 years old.  As I grew older I doubted my salvation hundreds of times.  But, I kept going back to the word of my family and friends who assured me that I was saved. 

 In my early teen years, the fires of desire grew and I longed to be loved and taken care of.  I wish I could tell you that I did not date until I was in college, but sadly I have to say I had a lot of love interests.  I had no clue what true love was!  I professed to know the love of Christ as something wonderful, but if I truly would have experienced that love, I believe I would have been wiser with a“loving” in my earthly relationships.  

 

                I was never patient and as long as I can remember I wanted my prince-charming  to come and  sweep me off my feet, saving me from my “terrible”, uncultured world!  There I was; foolish, deceptive and giddy with each guy who would give me the time of day!  Yes, I loved and craved attention.  I loved to hear that I was beautiful and that I would never be left alone.   

Boy! Were they wrong!!!   

Each “fling” ended in loneliness and pain!  I always felt completely empty whenever each “frog” didn’t turn into my prince in the end.  

                Through God’s mercy and grace, He placed me at a Bible college in New England (NEBC).  I did not know it right away, but the two biggest decisions in my life would be made there!  I walked into this step of my journey blindly, but amazing grace was there ready to open my eyes so that I could proclaim with the song writer: “I once was blind, but now I see!”  

                I walked into my freshman year immature and impulsive.  What was I even there for?  “Following the Lord’s will” became my cliché!  I really was just taking basic classes and loving the social life.  Little did I know how the Lord was preparing my heart for great and wonderful things that I knew not yet!  I became infatuated with a guy that year, but through the wisdom God gave to him and circumstances I know now that the Lord allowed, all hope of a relationship with him ended that summer.  

 

                Just as it always worked; whenever my heart would be broken by one, it seemed another came along to “comfort” me...”as a friend.”   Of course, I’m sure you can figure out where this was going!  I went back to college for my sophomore year, and this new guy never left my side!  I loved the attention and thought I was on the right track...once again!  This guy eventually called my parents and said he knew I was the one and asked permission to date me.  Everything seemed like a true fairytale finally coming true and I was on cloud nine!  

                My whole mindset on life changed with that 10 month relationship: the most serious relationship I had ever been in!  I was going to live my life for me, for us!  We were going to make a lot of money and live the good life...but of course, we were going to give our share to the ministry. 

 Right. 

 

  The second semester of my sophomore year, the Lord would not leave me alone.  Every service seemed to talk on salvation.  Conviction set in during most invitations and that made me mad!  I was already saved!  Why is the Lord making my heart race and my head pound whenever a preacher compelled the lost one to come forward?   
Finally, during a special service one evening, my heart had had enough!  As the invitation song, “I Must Tell Jesus” was sung, 
I could not help but think; “I can’t tell Jesus anything!  I don’t even know Him personally!”  I stepped out of the pew, my heart pounding, and went to the dean of women.  She looked up when she felt me in front of her.  I began to cry, “I think I need to get saved.”  She took me in another room and that’s when it happened.  For the first time, I finally experienced TRUE love!  Oh! How the weight was lifted!

                From that point on, the relationship I was in became rocky.  I knew in the back of my mind that it was because God was trying to tell me that I was out of His will with this guy, but I tried to ignore His compelling.  I had become attached and I did not want more heartbreak.  To make a long story short, this guy became a real jerk to me and he said some of the most hurtful things I had ever heard.   

Finally, with the Lord’s conviction and my family’s pleading, I broke up with him.  Yes, tears fell... but my heart was relieved and my burden lifted!  
I wanted only God’s will and knowing that I was in it now, made the pain bearable.  

 

 



TO BE CONTINUED...............

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