Yesse's Story

TALE OF THE BRIDES

"The Perfect Man"

By Yessenia S.

PART 1 

In March of 1998, at the age of eight years old, I asked Jesus to come into my heart. My parents had moved to little Rockville, CT in December and in the apartment right above us lived the pastor of a small church. He had invited my parents numerous times to church and it was not until March that we finally visited. My mom, who had received Christ when she was ten, rededicated her life to the Lord, and my dad became a Christian. After that month, our lives changed dramatically. 

As the years went by our small church closed its doors and in the summer of 2005 I began attending Central Baptist Church. I had attended a Christian school for a few years and was homeschooled the last three years of high school. 

I was never the type of girl who acquired much attention from the males. Which was completely fine, but at the same time (I’m sure most girls feel this way) I dreamed of one day being loved by someone and getting married.

 I love watching Disney princess movies, Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Erye, etc; basically all of those hopeless romantic movies. But at the age of fourteen I decided that the first guy that I dated/courted was going to be the one I married. I had read “I Kissed Dating Goodbye” by Joshua Harris, and had read the Christy Miller series by Robin Jones Gunn. These books changed my mindset about the whole “dating game.” I kept to my commitment, but I was still (and am) a romantic. I dreamed of what I wanted him to be like and look like. I took a page out of one of my notebooks and compiled a list of what I wanted my perfect man to be. I started praying about it, and made sure I prayed the whole list specifically.

Now let’s fast forward a bit. I never had a boyfriend, I had a few crushes here and there, and no one interested. This was okay because at the age of 18, I was pretty sure that I had my life all figured out. Sure, I still dreamed and prayed about my perfect man, but that was no longer priority. I was going to go to a Christian college in the Midwest and leave the state of Connecticut. I was going to become a nurse, care for people, and yet at the same time, make good money. I worked hard, received good grades, and yet by graduation, I still had not put an application in for the college I wanted to go to. 

Instead, in June, I found myself in a recruiting office at a local tech institute. I should probably mention something very significant. That spring my church held its yearly Bible conference. Although the theme was about our Baptist heritage, God was dealing with me about something entirely different. At that time, with graduation inching closer, I knew God wanted me to serve him with my entire life. He wanted me completely surrendered.

 The way I saw it, if these people from the past were able to give their all to God, and stand up for being a Baptist, which cost them their life, why couldn’t I give my life to Christ. Throughout my teen years I struggled with handing over my future to the Lord. It was MY future. As I was contemplating colleges, my mom asked me about attending NEBC. My thoughts, ABSOLUTELY NOT! The whole point was to leave and try to make it out on my own. I remember her saying distinctly to me, “I don’t know Yesse, I just know you should go… You might meet your future husband there.”

           

Obviously my mom did not understand my history with boys; which is to say, there was no history.

 But at the time of my senior year in school, I was completely career driven and did not think of boyfriends. I had decided that would happen in a year or two after graduation from high school. Again, I still prayed for him. Especially, that summer. At the time I did not know why, of course now I do. 

But even with all the chaos about school and the future; I would find myself lying on my bed at night praying for my future husband to be.

          

Through it all, August of 2008 was a whirlwind month. After a summer of struggling with what to do, whether to stick with the tech institute, or quit, I called Dr. B.- (the vice president of NEBC) and asked him if it was too late to attend the school. He said no, and a week later I was at registration. I was not financially prepared (I cried when I saw the bill), but I knew I had done the right thing. I was where God had wanted me to be.

At first I commuted, and then in September I moved into the dorms. I was adjusting, making friends, getting work done, and of course, working. One day, in October, I was outside on the picnic tables reading my history homework, and a guy eating a bagel came over to me.

He introduced himself as Kris. 

We talked for a bit, walked over to lunch, and parted ways. 

That Saturday I went to the nursing home with a few of the girls. Kris was there as he was one of the guys who went regularly. We began talking again. After coming back from the nursing home we hung out together the rest of the day until we both went to work. Throughout that month we continued to talk and spend time together. It wasn’t until a month later, after I had returned from choir tour, that I found a letter on my pillow. It was a letter from Kris telling me as he put it “I take a special interest in you!”

 He liked me!!!

 I couldn’t believe it!

 I returned at about two in the morning. I couldn’t get to sleep that night. I kept grinning from ear to ear. Here was the first man who ever took a serious interest in me. Remember that list I told you about? Kris had met every requirement. (He even had green eyes ;)!) But more importantly he loved his Savior. He wanted to serve Him with his whole life. That was the biggest characteristic that attracted me to Kristopher.

As the semester progressed I continued to lay the whole situation in prayer. I did not want to be caught up in the thrill of someone taking an interest in me. Also, he had been in a serious relationship that had ended that summer. I did not want to be his “rebound.”  

Throughout that school year and through the summer we continued to talk. I made sure my parents were aware of it all and my mom also kept everything in prayer. I had accountability. Things continued to go well in our relationship. We never had starting date for our relationship. I guess it was just understood for us.

 Anyway, the next semester came. Spiritually, I was not doing very well. I had a great summer, but as soon as I returned to school, it became difficult to do my devotions every day. I had a 7 o’clock class every day that semester, and was working to pay off the bill. I began to allow my thoughts to wonder about the physical aspect of relationships. Kris and I had not kissed. We had shared one hug after school let out for the year, and that was all.

 But I began to wonder what a kiss would feel like, a hug, just a small touch. The more we think the more we allow that thought or desire to take root. And in me, it definitely did.

 On November 8, 2009, I had my first kiss. I had wanted to save my first kiss for my wedding day, but it did not happen. I gave in to temptation, and I had allowed myself to become spiritually weak. 

That same week Kris and I got in trouble. We had both worked past curfew and had decided to meet up again. We stayed out till after midnight. I could not tell you why I did such a stupid move. There was kissing involved, but mainly we just held each other and talked. I had good friends who worried about me. My phone was kept on silent and when I looked at it, I had about twelve missed calls. When we parted I came upon one of the RA’s, in the parking lot, who was looking for us. He was on the phone with one of the teachers. At that moment I knew it was the end.

The next day was Friday, November 13. It was probably one of the worst days of my life. It was rainy, gray and cold outside. I had called my parents and told them what had happened. They immediately pulled me out of school. This may seem a little drastic to some, seeing as I was 19, but they are still my parents. They only wanted to do what was best for me. Needless, to say that whole week was awful. I was no longer allowed to have any communication whatsoever with him. At that point I did not know if I was ever going to be able to talk to him again.

 I know that the time apart was needful for Kris and I. I sometimes wish that period of time was not part of our story, but there it is. For myself, I was starting to put Kris above other things. That should not have been. It was honestly a wakeup call. That was my time to get closer to my Savior and to learn patience. (I hate waiting.)

I claimed Psalm 27:14 as my verse. “Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” 

I really had to do it. I did not know if we would ever be together again. It was not my job to worry about it. It was my job to wait and to trust. I continued to pray for him and us. I wanted us to be together again.

On January 17, 2011, God answered prayer. 

We were allowed to officially talk again. We had gotten a second chance. The Lord was merciful! “The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.” (Lamentation 3:25) We still struggled.

 Once a kiss has transpired it’s difficult to not seek after another one. Throughout that year and the next, Kris and I continued to struggle. That summer after my sophomore year (Kris’ Junior Year) I decided that I was going to commute for my junior year. There was no way I could live in the dorm. The temptation was still too great.

We made it through that year as well, not without some difficulties, but the Lord was merciful to us. On May 3, 2011 (my parents anniversary) Kris proposed to me in Boston! 

    It was wonderful to know that this man, the first man I had every dated, was going to be my husband! That filled me with such joy! The Lord allowed that prayer and commitment that I had made to come true!!!    

As of October 14, 2011 we started another beginning, that of marriage.

Ours is a story of second chances and new beginnings. When I think of us, I think of Lamentations 3:22-23 “It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is they faithfulness.” 

He is faithful and merciful. He saw us through many joys and sorrows, and gave us a second chance to grow in Him and love each other more. 

 It is exciting to see what the Lord has in store for us next. 

Only by His grace, 

Mrs. Yessenia S. 

Yesse and her husband Kris are now living in RI, faithfully serving the Lord in their local church. 

I have known Yesse for many years, and I have never met someone so bubbly and enthusiastic as she is! 

If Yesse's story touched you, please be sure to leave a comment! She doesn't have her own blog (...yet, lol)

but I can email your comments to her!