You will need a bucket for this one...
30 August 2006
I’m not usually a gushy sort of person… well not on this blog particularly. But I thought I’d take some time to talk about Christine in a serious way.
(This might be a time to either stop reading or grab some tissues.)
Christine means the world to me. She is one of the best things to have ever happened to me. I would gladly sell everything that I own to be with her. (And for a while it looked like I might have to). Although it might sometimes seem from this blog I don’t take things seriously this isn’t the case. I take matters of faith and relationships very seriously as people who know me personally can vouch.
I’ll be 26 this year and I’ve been in relationships before and been badly hurt. These experiences have taught me much and I know exactly what I’m doing and what I want out of life. I know my strengths and weaknesses and my many struggles and failings. I’ve made many mistakes in past relationships and I am determined not to repeat them.
Earlier this year I had reached the conclusion that never again would I meet a person who I would be prepared to give up all my hopes, dreams and aspirations for. Then I met Christine. She blew me away. Christine is very different to any other girls I have dated. I always from day one thought that she was a person I could marry. (Not trying to jump the gun here).
This is no boyish crush and I have a strong belief that chicks shouldn’t be stuffed around by guys. I know and have known exactly what I’m doing with this relationship all along. I’ve always been one to plan and think about the future and this was something that I carefully considered before I asked Christine out.
It may sound a little crazy but to be honest I didn’t consider the fact she lived so far away as particularly crucial in my thinking. To me it makes no difference if the girl I love lives on the other side of the world. The bottom line is that I love her and I’d move heaven and earth so we can be together.
Most important of all Christine has a caring and committed spirit to God and her savior Jesus. Her trust and belief in God and the salvation offered by Jesus have always been the thing that most attracted me to her. I still remember reading her blog for the first time and how impressed I was to find a girl who not only expressed a biblical view of human relationships but wasn’t afraid to proclaim them and challenge the dominant paradigm in society (such courage and strength). This was a girl who demanded my respect. This was a girl who I could lay down my life for.
Since then I have learned there is much more to Christine. I love her artiness. I love her annoying American accent. I even enjoy listening to her friends. She has been blessed with beautiful good looks (heck she can even look me in the eye). I like what she wears. I love her passion and drive to inspire people. I love her energy. I love the way she respects and loves her parents. I respect her intellect. I love that she loves me despite my faults. I love the way she helps me to think about things in a clear way. I love that she respects me and takes to the time to understand me. We’ve laughed together, we’ve cried together we’ve prayed together, we’ve read the Bible together and we’ve discussed most issues of doctrine.
All this and we still haven’t met in person. It’s my prayer that things continue to work out in our relationship for God’s glory in his good time. Please keep us both in your prayers.
supportMIKE loves Christine
tags christian, christine, rant
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awwwwww :-)
mike said the 'L' word!!
keep trusting in our Risen King.
This is just plain wonderful to read! Good for you, Mike! (now excuse me as I reach for the Kleenex...)
Yes, I will continue to pray for both of you, Mike.
It sounds like just about time you met. ;) I think you will need to be very careful in your preparations for meeting, though.
Very sweet Mike - I pray that God will bless your relationship
I think it was about the time that you posted your five year plan that I thought "hmm, I hope Mike meets someone awesome... and SOON. Because that plan doesn't leave much time!" ;)
I never expected it to be this quick. I take heart from the fact that what, three, four, five months ago, you could not have even thought you'd now be in love? Does God work in mysterious ways? I submit, yes.
Mike - what a lovely post. Thanks for sharing those things with all of us.
I have been praying for you and Christine and will continue to do so.
I agree - she is an incredible woman isn't she!
What a lovely post Mike. I enjoyed reading back over Christine’s controversial post about wives disrespecting their husbands by complaining about them rather than doing the right thing and speaking to their husbands bringing your girl to tears. She sounds lovely. Crucial question if you marry her will she let you watch the footy on telly? Cause we all know what Aussie men are like with their sport.
Thought of you guys and your ‘internet romance’ last night. I had work friends over for dinner and they were telling me about their Grandma who got online headed straight for the chat rooms and ended up with a boyfriend. They went caravanning around Australia together :)
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Sadly enough, now I know exactly how you feel. Good job Mike & Christine, God bless. :)
Mike, I never knew you could write something quite so touching :)
you are such a soppy pikey :P but I like ya :)
Great post Mike, how beautiful.. Full of soppiness (new word) but just lovely. Will pray for you guys :)
Mike, I honestly hope this works out for you. However, I also have to admit that it has me a bit worried! I am not saying you are doing anything wrong. I am just concerned that being this in love with someone you have never met is not quite sensible. It might just be a personal thing, but I'd really like to meet someone before entrusting my heart and soul to them. I have seen you go through one heartbreak - admittedly from somewhat of a distance, but I do count you as a friend and I did (and do) care - and I'd hate to see it happen again. It is really too late to point this out, since you are already head over heels! So I am sorry to be a wet blanket! I am praying for you, and I really, really hope you and Christine feel exactly the same way about each other when you meet, get married soon after, and have a wonderful marriage :).
Thanks Sherrin for your kind concerns. I'll chat to you about it further in person when I see you next. :)
Mike,
It's nice to read about your feelings for Christine. I think it's particularly great that you are looking at her passion for God above other things.
I met my husband online. If you and Christine are interested in reading about my experience, you can read about it on my blog in the July archives. I wrote a 3 parter about how we met and what steps we took in our relationship.
Oops! I guess it was June.
Yeah, very beautiful and great to hear YOU sounding happy again! Although I share some of Sherrin's very sensible reservations, I pray with all my heart that God makes it work for you guys. All your brothers and sisters care about you heaps, Michael! So be careful with him, Christine!! Or else!! (I mean that in the nicest possible way. My mum is Christine too, so I can't possibly think ill of you!)
; ) Indeed
I'm so glad that MIke has so many friends that care about him. I too have friends who have voiced their conerns. Yeh, Mike and I are in deep but I'm thrilled that our relationship is founded on communication, prayer, reading Scripture, and interacting with family and friends (in a weird-online sort of way).
I hope that both of us are able to look back at our relationship without regrets. Even if things did not result in our marriage, I would like to think that both of us could look back at it cheerfully, appreciative of the other's friendship, encouragement, and exhortation to live lives closer to God. I know I have no regrets.
That is one of the sweetest, most romantic and godly things I have ever read. Partially restores my faith in the male gender!! Thanks Mike!