The past week has been filled with kilig stories. ♥

Whilst at a coffee shop with my friend-turned-brother plus friend-turned-sister, kuya reveals that he is praying for someone. He asked me to guess who it was, and I knew that it was the woman sitting across me. I just knew; I and others have been praying about it, and for it. So when he asked me to guess who it was, I just kinda went, "Her," and pointed my eyes to the sister sitting in front of me. That smile on my kuya is one which will be etched in my mind for a loooong time. That look of pure joy: content in the Lord, but was given a bonus, a helpmate. When he least expected it. Now each time I see them both, I can't help but be infected with the same smiles they paint across their faces.

Last Wednesday, I also had the privilege to bond with Jaid, who will be getting married in a little over a month. Naturally, we spoke of their upcoming wedding and plans afterwards, but the bulk of the conversation had been about "the how". How they met, how their relationship developed, how the courting went about, how they both knew that they were called by the Lord to be married (with one another, no less). It has not always been a lovey-dovey ride for both, but God answered their prayers with such clarity. And now here they are, about to walk down the aisle to be united as one. 

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Having had the opportunities to fellowship with these people have provided me not just kilig moments, but also insights to God-centered relationships. It's most beautiful when relstionships are God-ordained and all events (which lead to marriage) have been orchestrated by God Himself. 

It also allowed me to sit down and reflect on how I view relationships and marriage. But even more so, my sins were revealed during these moments of reflecting: 

1. I was slowly allowing the idea of a relationship (and marriage, no less) to occupy my thoughts and heart more space than it should. It was on the verge of become an idol. 

2. I am impatient. Even up to this day, I show how impatient I am by becoming frustrated with the lack of "movement" in this area of my life. I pride myself with being 31 years old and never having a boyfriend, ever, and think to myself that this is a way of me practicing patience. What a lie; my grumbles and frustrations reveal my true character: an impatient woman who feels entitled to having a relationship because "I've been patiently waiting all my life". 

3. My prayers about this particular area have not been the most consistent. Although I've been praying about this for about a year and a half (or more), I haven't exactly devoted as much time in praying about it. Sure, there will be weeks when I would pray to God about wisdom and clarity about marriage, but I would stop for a week or two or three or two months...and resume when I suddenly "remember" my requests. 

So if there's anything that these two couples have taught me during the times they've spent with me in the past week, it's that I should seek God first (He should always be number one in my heart and thoughts), pray consistently, and remain patient in this beautiful season of waiting.