You need to hear a happy ending.
You’ve been dealing with a lot of stress lately, and you almost never get enough sleep.
You could use a few hours on the couch, belly-laughing at the TV with someone who loves you.
You would also appreciate a sweet, romantic tale with a miraculous twist.
You’re in luck because this weekend marks the fourth anniversary of my engagement.
Once Upon a Time
Outside of an old-fashioned theater at dusk, my boyfriend pulled a black jewelry box from the back pocket of his jeans. The silver lettering read Samuels Jewelers, a store that I knew to be closed. We had been standing in that store nearly a year and a half earlier, considering a ring, when I had effectively called off our hypothetical engagement.
I thought I had made the biggest, most devastating mistake of my life. Unbeknownst to me, my boyfriend had gone back into that store the following day and purchased the ring, which he had eventually paid off in full. He had then left the ring in his closet for more than a year while we worked on our relationship–until the night prior to this tale.
Happily Ever After
Packing his duffel bag before heading to pick me up, he inexplicably grabbed the ring. He doesn’t know why. I had given no indication that I wanted to get engaged. Nevertheless, when I called him on the drive to say I wanted to marry him, he happened to have the ring in his car. Then we drove hours through forests of golden aspens to a concert.
Inside the theater, the artist invited us to the stage and dedicated a song to our new engagement. We also danced a literal waltz, emboldening other couples to join us. For the first time in a year and a half, I didn’t doubt my decision. The crippling guilt and anxiety that had paralyzed me for so long never resurfaced. We got married three months later.
Happy stories still happen.
Right now, you feel discouraged and really, really tired. You hover dangerously close to tears at any given moment. You desperately need refreshment, rest, and victory.
God still delights in extravagant displays of His affection.
Trust Him. Keep doing the scary, hard work. You may not see how your current situation could end in joy, but God tells better love stories than the sappiest chick flicks. He still knows how to give the most lavish gifts to His children.
You won’t believe how much He loves you.
Love,
The Reluctant Bride
The Reluctant Bride 
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