The before story…

This stordoesnt’t start out like you would think. It begins with pain. The feeling of trying to be satisfied by stuffing thing into your heart and they either jump out or fall out. This was because they weren’t things that could completely satisfy. For years guys were what I tried to fill my heart with. I searched and searched to find my “prince charming.” This then lead to broken hearts, broken friendships, and a broken life. I had nowhere else to turn to, until one day…

The day I placed my faith in Christ everything changed. He is what then completely satisfied me. As I went through a couple years of high school, it was still hard not search for the one that would be perfect for me. Although, I had flings with guys and many waited to date me, I never had a real relationship because something inside of me always told me not to. It also never worked because I would always settle for less. During those first years of high school I felt as if I was trying to stuff thing into my heart again and I realized it was getting me nowhere…

When I was in the middle of getting to know this guy, I felt God again in my life and the feeling of trying to stuff things in my heart disappeared. I told the guy I can’t think about dating right now because this was something much more important. As time went on I fell closer and closer to God, but wondered would I ever be in a relationship. I decided right then to give that up to God. That was the end of that story and the start of a new one at Myrtle Beach…

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When the real story begins…

I decided, during the summer before my junior year, to go to a student venture Getaway at Myrtle Beach. That is where I learned what I have wanted to all along. I went to this camp to grow in my faith in God and not focus on scoping out the guys, like I usually always did. When I least expected it, I was introduced to, what I didn’t know at the time, would be my first boyfriend. His name was Noah. I had seen him the day before, but only thought in my mind that he was cute, but didn’t every girl. The first I noticed about him was that he didn’t just say nice to meet you when I was introduced to him, he got up out of his seat walked over to me and said it. I didn’t know where that would take us but God did…

I did not choose what happened after that; God did. There were around 100 of us in this room and we all played this game. We all had to write our name on a piece of paper and crumple it up and through it across the room. No let me remind you that we are sitting at the same table. As I hear my name being called I pick up one that is right under my chair. I talk to the guy that called my name, and then opened up mine and the name read “Noah Reyhl.” I found him and then found out he lived in Michigan. From then on we talked, hung out, and got to know each other. Over the course of 3 days I got to see him share his faith, we exchanged testimonies, and I got to make him a bracelet. He was NOTHING like I have never met before. Although I started to feel that there may be something there, I doubted how he felt for me. He was very mysterious and was open at the same time. He was honest and guarded his heart as well as mine which is something I have always wanted in a guy…

The last day before the end of the conference was my last day of doubt. I went and then got up to get a drink and I heard footsteps like if someone was jogging. As I approach my chair, Noah pulls it out before I get a chance to. He had run across the room to pull out my chair. This was the first sign of hope. I had thought a lot and figured out that I was totally starting to fall for this guy. That night was what finally engraved it all in stone. There was a terrible storm and we all had to go into one huge room, but Noah was nowhere to be found, then the electricity went out. When it came back up a bunch of us went up to our hallway of the hotel. 15 minutes later, Noah walked through the door and I was so relieved and excited, but the nervous because I couldn’t leave Myrtle Beach not knowing how he felt. I had to tell him. It took a little while, but I did it. His response was that he felt the exact same way, but what would we do because He lives in Michigan, doesn’t have a phone, Facebook or Skype. We both decided to trust God with that…

He left that morning and I didn’t get to say goodbye. I was left crying on the beach but then smiling when I received my first letter from him with a bracelet with it for me. I didn’t know where it would go from here, but God had a plan. We got in contact over the phone and chose to write letters to each other. Everything that we mailed to each other had a meaning. The first thing that I sent to him was shells for Myrtle Beach and a pearl. This represented our relationship. Two individual shells come in contact with one another if they wait long enough and if it is God’s plan they could create something beautiful like a pearl. If it’s God’s plan to not be together then we will pull apart and still be two beautiful individual shells. Once I was gone in Europe for a month and he sent me my favorite flower (sunflower) and wrote a letter to me every day and sent them all to me so that when I got back they would be there. He finally got a phone and Skype too. This was enough to keep us going for awhile until I missed him to much. I found a way to be able to see him. A friend and I went up there to see him and my other friend Jill for 5 days. It was her 18th birthday and I got to see his playoff football game. I forgot to mention besides having everything I want in a guy he had all the things any girl would want. He is good looking, great personality, funny, smart, captain/star football player (who always gave the glory to God), homecoming king, and so much more…

Those 5 days were a fairytale. They were filled with beach and lakes, stargazing, cheesecake, apple trees… and something I didn’t expect. He is 18 and has never kissed a girl because he wanted to wait till he knew it was something he wanted to do. Overlooking the Lake of Michigan I was the luckiest girl that day and still am. I even wrote him a song and played and sang it for him…

Take me back to that sweet summer day,
When we exchanged words and I had so much to say,
I felt speechless, but you were kind,
You were someone I never thought I would find.
I’ve been waiting to find.

Do you remember our moments by the water,
I got to know you and you were like no other.
I thank Jesus, that I’m who He led you to,
I never thought here were people out there like you,
Until I met you.

Those summer days have gone and passed away.
I’m in Orlando and you’re in Suttons Bay.
We write letters to help us get through.
It’s still hard because, honestly I…
I miss you,
And God always knew

Cause, now I’m sitting here gazing right at you,
And we don’t have to wonder what this will come down to.
Because I’ve missed you and you’ve missed me,
And our God is happy because this is where we want to be.
Noah can’t you see
And can you, take me back to that sweet summer day,
When we exchanged words and I still have much to say.
I’m still speechless and you’re still kind.
You are someone I’m grateful to God, that he allowed me to find,
Allowed me to find.
So I cam 1,415 miles to find… came here to find…You
Yes, leaving ended in tears but then tears of joy when he surprised me a day early January21st 2011. He had the whole day planned. While he was here he had a lovely talk with my dad but before the talk we went to Disney, my school and church, a surprise party for them and then at the beach I heard about the talk, well not really… As we walked and flirted on the beach he ran behind me and picked me up and he walked hold me in his arms. He looked me in the eyes and said Rachel Susanne will you go out with me and be my girlfriend. At that moment and thanked God for creating someone like him and in an instant said yes! I went through so much to finally realize God has it all under control. I am thankful to Him for everything and it gave me the courage to never give up hope and remain in faith. Yes, this is just a “Like Story” but maybe God’s plan will for it to end up as a Love Story…....<3