Waiting for "Mr.Right"

Let me tell you a little about myself. My name is Katie Hernandez. I have been married 6 months to my wonderful husband, Saul. At our wedding, October 24th, I was thirty years old. Now some younger people reading this are probably thinking, “WOW, you are that old and just got married?!?!” Yup, I waited for Mr. Right and let me tell you it was worth the wait! God gave me a man who was just what I needed.

Growing up I was a helpless romantic, and, to be quite honest, I still am. I would sit and read Christian romance books like Janette Oke or Tracie Petersen, dreaming about what it would be like to meet Mr. Right. What would he look like? How would we meet? Would it be love at first sight? As I got to the end of my high school years, I had my life all planned out. I was going to go to college and meet Mr. Right. We would get married after college, and live happily ever after, serving the Lord in the ministry.

After seeking the Lord and getting godly counsel from my pastor, I left for college. My purpose in going to Bible college was to learn how to serve the Lord so that I could help my husband in the ministry down the road. My first year of Bible college passed with nothing to show, but maybe a date or two. I was okay at that point because I still had three more years. The second year passed, again with nothing to show. Still, I was okay with not having a potential husband. The third year came and went, I had some more dates, but nothing serious. I was starting to get a little antsy, but still had one more year left. Needless to say, my last year wasn’t fruitful either.

During my college experience, I watched many dating couple get together and then break up. I heard illustrations of couples who disregarded the advice of their authorities, got married, and had many difficulties their lives. Some were able to work through their difficulties, but not without unnecessary heartache; others were not so lucky. One of the phrases that has stuck with me over the years is, “I would rather be single wishing I was married then married wishing I was single.” I was also able to see women in their 30’s, 40’s and 50’s who waited for the right one and saw firsthand God’s blessings. I determined at that point, I wasn’t going to settle for anything but God’s best for me.

Before finishing Bible College, I started working for my church. Within a month of graduating, one of the current Bible college students and I became interested in each other. We talked to our authorities and our parents about dating each other and everyone was okay with it. So on we went on our dating journey. We ended up dated for a year and a half. I thought, “HE must be MR.RIGHT!” No one at that point had objected. He meet my family and my dad told my boyfriend that he could marry me before my boyfriend even asked! In my mind and heart, I started thinking about the future.

One day, my pastor told me that he needed to talk to me. When I went into the office, I was told about a situation that had happened with my boyfriend and was told that I needed to break it off. I was devastated and heartbroken. MY PLANS had been ruined!! My heart shattered! I knew the right thing was to follow the advice of my pastor and other godly counsel, no matter how hard it was. So, I broke up with him. At the time it hurt, but what I didn’t realize at the time was God has something better for me up ahead.

I was about twenty-four years old when that relationship ended. If you do the math, it was 6 more years before I got married. From the start of Bible college to the time I ended my first serious relationship, I learned a lot about life. The next six years of singleness I learned a lot about myself and what God wanted of me.

Eventually I moved in with my friend, Susan, who is several years older than me. She was one of the biggest blessings I had at that time. She helped me see that singleness is not the end of the world. We were able to share the frustrations, joys, trials, and blessing of the single life. For instance, people who hadn’t seen me in a while would ask the dreaded question, “So….are you dating anybody?” In my mind I would think, “No, but thanks for reminding me!” No matter how bad I wanted to say that, I never did. I just kindly smiled and said, “No, not yet.” After a while, Satan started working on me. I began to think that maybe I was limiting God when it came to a husband. Maybe I should go out with one of the good-looking guys that asked me out at work. I tried to justify it by thinking that I wouldn’t know them until I sat down and talked with them. When I would start thinking about doing it, I would never have peace.

I believe that through all this God wanted me to learn to be content with where I was and what I had. If I were going to be happy with life, I had to enjoy the things that God had given me until God chose to give me something else. I learned to be “fabulously single,” to coin Susan’s phrase. Singleness should be enjoyed, not dreaded. There are so many things that you can do while single that you cannot do once you get married. I was able to travel the world, do things that most people my age will never get to do in their lifetime, and serve the Lord without hesitation. Once you get married, life is different. Not everyone will have the same opportunities that I did, but you choose your response to what God gives you.

God was also allowing me at this time to prepare me for the future. I can look back and see the Lord guiding me, even though I did not understand. Why was I working at a bank instead of teaching, which is what I studied in college? Also, God placed me in different positions at the church office. I worked in many different ministries, and had many different jobs. All these things were preparing me for where I am now, without me even realizing it.

After about three years, God moved me from Oklahoma to Texas to be a teacher at a Christian school. I was super excited! As soon as I moved down here, I immediately got involved with different church ministries. One of the ministries was the 4-5 year old primary church, which was the same primary church that my future husband taught. After about a year and a half of watching each other and of getting to know each other, my husband finally made his move and asked me out on our first date. Any issue or fear that I had with our relationship, God met with a solution and peace. Being with Saul was different than any other relationship I had been in previously. I could write so much on how God worked through it all, but you would be reading all night! All I can say is that I knew Saul was God’s will for me.

Also, the summer before getting married God allowed me to change positions at the church. I was no longer going to teach, but I was to become the financial secretary. All the years of working in the church in Oklahoma and at the bank were being put to use. We serve an amazing God! What human could have planned my life to work out the way it has? Not me! I never would have dreamed I would be where I am today.

My point in all this is that God has a plan and purpose for your life. Be patient. Wait on the Lord. He knows where you are, what you need, and when you need it. Satan wants you to mess up and rush into the wrong relationship. Don’t let Satan have the victory. Take the time to enjoy where you are at in life and learn the things God wants you to learn. You don’t know your future, but God does. Don’t settle for anything other than God’s best! It is worth the wait!!