Dear Jamie in 1999,
You are about to embark on a journey that will change the rest of your life. That guy, Aaron, from church asked you out and you said yes! He asked you out about the same time as now last year and you said no. You had just started dating someone and it just wasn't a good time. Good thing he's persistent because a whole year later and you are finally heading out on a date with him.
You know Aaron from church and have been on a ski trip with him, and think he's awesome but you don't think this thing between you two is going to amount to anything. He's so nice, and probably has done nothing wrong in his entire life. He works at the church and you truly just started acting like a Christian, so surely he'll find that out and jet on you. He hasn't had many serious girlfriends, and probably as soon as he hears about all the guy's you've dated he'll be out. You will soon find out that he hasn't kissed a girl, and you are pretty much used goods. As soon as he finds this out there's no way he'll stick around. Surely a pastor shouldn't date a girl with a past as bad as yours.
You are certain he'll never ask you out again when he hears all you have been through.
Your need to be honest with him is very overwhelming, but you aren't ready to pour out your life story to a guy that is so nice. In fact you are truly just worried that when you say it all out loud, he'll think this relationship isn't worth it. Too much baggage into a relationship can never be fun.
On one of your first dates you tell him that you really like him a lot. You want to keep dating him, but there's some stuff in your past that you are certain when he finds out will send him running. I mean he's a pastor, and you are a girl that has made a lot of crappy choices in her life. You tell him this. He doesn't even flinch. He doesn't even ask what it is. He doesn't even seem concerned. You tell him that you want to wait to tell him, that you just aren't ready. He agrees. You can't believe it, but he agrees to wait on hearing what is so bad that you fear he'll leave.
This man is different. Something special for sure.
Hold on to him.
Love,
Jamie in 2013 who married that super nice pastor guy!
