My friends used to tease me, “Lilian, you might be single till the Rapture.”
“As long as I serve the Lord it’s okay to be single. It’s up to the Lord to give me the strength and purpose to live for Him,” my usual response with smile hidden behind my loneliness.
When a special couple and mentor from Cebu Bible Seminary in the Philippines that I served granted me a scholarship, two of my best friends at the graduate school met their spouses through the Cherry Blossom Dating Catalog. Before both of them left for United States they picked for me a pen pal that they thought would complement my qualities.
One of my best friends, Sasheen, composed a letter for him, “You rewrite it if you want. He’s the man for you.” I inserted the letter in my diary.
After a year, Sasheen who was living in Guam with her American husband, wrote me, “Did you send the letter to the man that we chose for you?”
The following week, my Mom called me from home, “Hey you are getting older. Your Dad and I keep on praying that you will find a good man who will love you and support your ministry to the Lord.” My parent’s prayer and my best friend’s advice budged me to act.
I rewrote the letter drafted by my friend. With fear and heartfelt prayer, “Lord, if he is the one for me so be it. Give me the courage and maturity by faith to overcome whatever challenges that comes along with this decision.” I secretly mailed my letter so that if he did not reply I would not be embarrassed.
My precious husband, who had been singles again for fourteen years prayed, “Lord I want to marry a godly woman who will be faithful to me,”
After less than a year of snail mail letter exchange with the stranger, he visited me in the Philippines, proposed, and married me.
Can you imagine how my precious Hal showed me the letters from the 300 ladies respondents from different parts of the world with different backgrounds, ages, and careers that he received?
As our prayers and desires collided which moved the gracious hand of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who prepared something better for us, the same God prepared something better for you my beloved singles and singles again.
Lilian Hosfeld 