This answer to prayer has a name...

Brian and I like to call the way we parent...intentional parenting. One very tangible way we did this was by praying for our children. As they grew we had several things we prayed for...there was the immediate needs, the spiritual issues, and of course future things. One of the biggest future things we would pray for is their spouses. Obviously when they were little we had no idea who those spouses would be; yet that didn't detour us from praying.

As our daughters grew into women, God sent their spouses to them and we began praying for them by name. What a joy to watch God answer our prayers for them with such Godly men.

A little over a year ago...October 2012...we began to see that God was perhaps answering this prayer for a spouse in a our son's life. I will never forget the call, the day I found out my little boy was twitterpatted! He had only been gone a little over a month and I would frequently start out the phone calls from him with one question...do you have a girlfriend yet. I never actually expected him to say yes...not so soon after arriving on campus. Well, this time when I asked the question there was a pause on his end and I knew what was coming next. He told us about this girl named Brittany he had met over the summer working at camp. They began dating soon afterwards, but it was long distance as Caleb was in Texas and Brittany was in Minnesota. That was a long school year for them. We noticed a sudden increase in his texts and cell phone minutes!

 

It has been fun watching these two get to know each other and develop a strong relationship. Caleb has been intentional in honoring God with how he treats Britt. He wrote his own resolution and had Brian and I sign it. He framed a copy and keeps it in his dorm room to remind him of what those resolutions are.

After a summer of working together at camp again and a fall of attending college just minutes apart, their relationship has grown even more. They are no longer in the infatuation phase. In fact, they are actually now in the engaged phase! Yes, that's right my little boy is getting married. He proposed to Brittany just a few days ago and she said yes!! So God answered our prayer for a spouse for our son and that answer is named Brittany.

We are of course thrilled for them and excited to watch as God unfolds His plans for their future. I have to admit its a little surreal thinking about my son...my little boy...getting down on one knee and proposing. This boy who at one time only had eyes for his mommy, this little boy who declared in high school girls have too much drama, this little boy who is now a man...he's in love! My new prayer is that I would not be a Marie Barone (Everybody Loves Raymond) type of mother-in-law; but rather that I will be one who welcomes Brittany in as a daughter. I recently ran across the term daughter of my heart; that is what Brittany is to me.

I don't always enjoy the fact that my kids are grown and out of the house...some days it is extremely hard having an empty nest; but I do enjoy watching them grow and follow Jesus. I treasure watching God answer our prayers in their lives. What an amazing privilege God has given Brian and I to have a front row seat to their lives!!!