I was in my 20s and I felt God urging me to do something completely outside of my nature. He asked me to shelf dating.
Say what?
“Ummm…surely, God. You know me better than that!”
After all, I am the gal that was chasing the boys on the playground in kindergarten, K-I-S-S-I-N-G them.
And first grade.
And second.
And you get the idea.
I was a boy crazy child! Teenager! And even mildly as an adult!
But it was as clear as day. And I think God a rather wise creator, so I said, “Say what?” And listened again…Confirmed!
Give.up.dating.
Hmmm. Now I was in a predicament.
Listen to His request?
Rebel?
After all, I was in college. Young! Having fun! Fun involved dating, right?!
But it was as if His mantra was on a broken and scratchy record, “Give up dating. Give up dating. Give up dating.”
And as annoying as that sound is, the broken, scratchy, record…Its message stuck. And I said, “Okay, God!”
I probably shouldn’t have thrown in an exclamation mark. I am not sure that I was happy about it. But I did it.
Guess what happened…I had a couple of the BEST years of my life!
I enjoyed my final years of college with my girlfriends. And we had a blast—girl trips, adventures, nights out together. Simple and pure fun!
And I did something else too…I spent more time with God. And it was the best thing to happen to me because it was in my senior year of university that I was told I had a tumor at the base of my brain.
That’s a lot to take in when you are NOT a university student.
I had so many doctors’ appointments that I started missing quite a bit of schooling. And I started slacking on my schoolwork. One evening I had a professor actually CALL me. Whoa! Wake up call.
“Brooke! Your project is 3 weeks late.”
“Oh.” I said. What else could I say? I hadn’t told any of my professors what was going on.
“I will give you until Monday to turn it in for 2 grades lower.”
“Wow!” What else could I say? That was generous beyond measure. And that’s when I realized I needed to get my act together.
I finished my project and received a C. Bummer, eh? Could have had an A. Ah well. Sometimes life happens.
And it was around this same time, at the end of my senior year of university, that I heard something else from God.
“Permission.to.date.”
He must have said it because one day an extremely good-looking man asked me out! How COULD I say no?
And then another guy, named Richard, asked me out for the very next weekend. Hmmm…don’t know him well. Should I go? Tempted to say no.
But said “Yes” to both dates.
Wow—what a way to get back in the game, eh?
And this is what I quickly learned…
Just because a man is good looking does not mean he is interesting. It was the most boring date of my life. And we went skiing. How can skiing be boring? I love skiing. And, yet, it was. Boring.
And he wasn’t a solid Christian. And he was a bit chauvinistic. Seriously—had the guy NOT met me before we went on our first date? Heck. Not just me…any woman!
I think he was looking for a wallflower. Umm…got the wrong woman, good-looking man. Got the wrong woman.
My next weekend’s date, the one that I had not originally planned on going on—was fantastic! After skating circles with this guy named Richard (ice skating)…and then sitting and talking with him for hours after, I realized that there are quality guys out there. Richard? Ah. He wasn’t for me. But he was a good man.
And that began the year-long friendship of Brooke and Richard. It came about after 2 years of not dating anyone. And then realizing that you don’t need to go on a date with JUST anyone. No matter how attracted you are to them. And it took going on a date with someone that I had initially dismissed.
The rest is HisStory!
You know…God’s.
Giving up dating. It sounded impossible, and it turned out to be the best!
And, along the way, I discovered God’s best…Difficulty and triumph in my personal life. And Richard-God’s perfect man for me.
I wouldn’t have it any other way. And I wouldn’t trade those years of not dating for any other time.
God. His ways are good. And, despite our skepticism, we just have to listen to His direction.
I’m glad I did.
And 2 Makes Crazy 