Waiting and Loving It!! Feat Jena and 'A' Branch

Hello everyone! I am delighted to be featuring today's couple... Well, I wouldn't quite say couple as it's the wife who's doing the interview today. However, I can assure you that you would be blessed!

I 'met' Jena in an interesting way - She commented on one of the Waiting and Loving It posts and I was drawn by her comment, so I checked out her blog 'Perfectly Human' and I was even more drawn lol (It's on faith, family and fashion!).. I asked her if she wouldn't mind sharing her experience in full here on the blog and I was delighted by her positive response (Yayy!) lol.. And God is wonderful in the way that He works as her story is one that relates to the question that was asked by a reader of the blog last week and was posted HERE and HERE.. I wouldn't talk too much (as I am want to do hehe) and allow her share.. I'm sure you'll be blessed. God loves you! xxxx

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1. Hi Jena, great to have you here and thanks a lot for agreeing to share with us! Could you please tell us a little about yourself?

My name is Jena, I am a 26 year old newbie mom! I work on web marketing strategies by day and I'm a blogger over at I'm Perfectly Human, by night :) I am from Minnesota, USA where I also currently live with my husband 'A' and gorgeous 2-month old baby girl. I am still a newlywed, being married now to my husband for 1 year.

2. Fantastic! Could you tell us how you met?

My hubby and I actually were neighbors at one point when we were young! He was a few years older than me so he actually went to school with my older sister. We eventually crossed paths again after high school and the rest is history.

3. What was the initial attraction for both of you?

He had always been very attractive to me so that quickly drew me in. On our first official date, it was refreshing that he was so down to earth and I felt like I was talking to someone I had been friends with forever. It sounds cliche, but I knew there was something different about him.

4. How did you know that you wanted to marry him/her?

We dated for 4 years. We ended up moving in together. We went through ups and downs, but we stuck everything out and always pushed together. We knew there was no one else we could see ourselves with and it just worked. I had been in relationships before where I felt like it was forced. Everything with us was just so easy. We were honest with each other about everything, we communicated well, and we respected each other which helped us grow. I had always wanted to be married. He wasn't in much of a rush. 

Once I was born again to Christ in January of last year, I wanted to make all things in my life right by God. Marriage was the next step. He proposed the next month!

                 

5. Please tell us what made you make the decision to wait. 

We had been a couple for 4 years and after I decided to live for Christ, there were a few things I made a priority to change in my life. We had been intimate, we had basically been living as a married couple for a few years. I did not want to dishonor God any longer and so as hard as it was, I talked to him about being celibate until our wedding day. It was a tough pill to swallow because he felt that I was taking something away from him. We also struggled in how we showed affection to each other because we were so used to doing things a different way. 

We fell into temptation a few times, and I cried and prayed to God to forgive me and help me be strong during this time. God led me to write my beau a letter with my feelings on why waiting was so important to me and what it truly meant to be able to share that with him once we were wed. We talked after he read the letter and it was as if we were talking about it for the first time. He truly understood my deepest feelings, my love for Christ, and that I still loved him but had to put my relationship with Christ as top priority. It became less of a struggle when we were on the same page. We got married last year and it has been amazing knowing that I am in order with my Lord and Savior. My Father above!

6. Thank God for His grace. I'm sure a lot of people would want to know the next question - How did you come to have a relationship with Jesus?

My father is a pastor, so needless to say I grew up in and around the church. However, I never really knew Jesus until about a year ago. Growing up I had seen so much "religious" doctrines through the church and it seemed that many people that were born again were not full of life. I thought, "Why would I want to be like that?" I went the complete opposite direction - finding pleasure in the world and everything it had to offer. I vowed that when I gave my life to Christ I was going to be serious about Him and I wanted to know Him. 

Well, January of last year my entire life changed. I had been feeling lost, stuck in a routine of life and I began to stop caring about things because I felt nothing would ever change. I had a divine visitation with God one night. It was an eye opening experience. I felt His words when He spoke to me. I remember Him telling me to follow Him because He is the creator of ALL, and not to look to man. That the way people live life in this world, is NOT what life is. I remember that ringing in me. This wasn't life at all. I decided that night to follow Christ, I called my father and he had me give my life to Him right there in my bedroom. It has been the most rewarding and life changing experience I have ever had. My life has been abundantly beautiful ever since AND Jesus has been everything He said He would be for me.

7. Thank you Jena. What advice would you give your single self now that you've crossed the marriage line?

There are a few things I would tell my single self now that I'm married. Hindsight is always 20/20 right? ;) First off, I would tell her not to worry about the men that don't seem to worry about her - don't waste her tears. I would tell her that when she finds someone it will not be forced. I would tell her not to live with a man before you are married. There's something true about the old saying: "Why buy the cow, when you can get the milk for free?" Some men don't see the benefit in marrying you when you are already playing house. Not saying this is all men at all! But, I mean what will change once he gives you the ring? You already cook for him, clean for him, take care of him and most cases are intimate with him - you haven't required anything more from him at this point so why now? In someways it drives your value down.

Most importantly, I would explain to her that God's way of doing things is there for a reason. It is there to protect your heart. It is there to help you have confidence in your value as a woman. It is there to give you a good foundation for an enriching marriage. I really wish I would have protected my heart more when I was younger and I wish I knew that I was the prize to be won. When you treat yourself as such, those that are interested must also treat you that way. In the end it worked out for me, but that is just because Jesus took care of me. It was a dead end road I was heading to until I did things His way. Follow Him, He will always lead you the right way.


8. The best part of being married in 3 words - 
Peace.
Confidence.

Joy.

                                 

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Once again, thank you very much Jena for sharing your experience with us. 

I had a warm feeling reading her story because I was reminded of the depth of God's love for us all irrespective of how far we have gone. God hates any form of disobedience to His word but He loves us and extends His mercy to a repentant and willing heart. Also, not only does He want obedience from us, He gives us the grace to do so - how wonderful!

It's not too late to make that decision - first, in your relationship with God and consequently in other areas of your life.... God loves you sooo much! xxxx

"'Come now, and let us reason together', says the Lord, 'Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land" - Isaiah 1:18 - 19

"... but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it" - 

1 Corinthians 10:13b

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