Our Proposal Story

Nathaniel and I had been dating a while, and it had been going really well.

I mean REALLY, REALLY well.

We could hardly believe it–but prayers that we both had been praying for years, journal entries with specific requests penned on both sides-we were seeing answered day after day. We had been told “when you know, you just know” before in life, and until meeting each other-we never know what that meant. Now-we totally get it <3.

He lived in New Mexico, but was in Destin, FL for a few weeks for a work certification, and so I planned a trip to visit him down there. I was *pretty sure* that IF he were to propose before Christmas time, he would probably do it around the end of October. We would be celebrating the 500 year anniversary of the Protestant Reformation together–and what a magical time that would be! 😉

However on September 14th, as I drove to the airport, I found myself thinking about the possibility of him proposing to me. I got butterflies at the thought of it, but didn’t want to be distracted by the thoughts when a nice vacation with the love of my life was all I was guaranteed. So I did what any girl in my shoes would do–I snooped.

I called my sister and asked her if she had heard anything about Nathaniel connecting with Dad. She assured me that she JUST talked to dad earlier this week, and he hadn’t mentioned anything about a conversation with my boyfriend. She also let me know that Nathaniel never mentioned anything to her. I called my dad too, and he had no idea that I was even headed to Florida to be with my beloved.  After turning off bluetooth, and turning into economy parking at the Philadelphia Airport, my heart was settled with the reality that Nathaniel definitely wasn’t proposing during this time together. All I had before me the next few days was sunshine and sand-with the man that I love. I knew I would be marrying him sometime in the not so distant future, and I knew he wasn’t going to propose during this vacation.

I arrived in Florida and our time together was wonderful. He picked me up in his flight suit 😍😍😍 and took me shopping for beach essentials. We went out to dinner at one of his favorite spots where I had the best pork chops OF MY LIFE, I gave him a gift I had been working on for months, we met up with some of his friends for drinks, and my heart was so happy and content to be his girlfriend. The next day, we ran (okay, he ran and I mostly ran and walked a little) a 3 mile trail, had breakfast out, hit the clear waters and white sand of the local beach, and then he told me that we were taking a little trip to a local town called Seaside.

Seaside was an absolutely adorable little tourist town where The Truman Show had been filmed. We walked all around the charming community and chatted about life and love. We talked about family and community, our hopes and dreams for the future, and our mutual desire for marriage and each other. We laughed at the names of the homes down the residential  streets and enjoyed being hand-in-hand on the warm September afternoon. While wandering, Nathaniel pulled me aside to a sort of private cul de sac of trees and shrubbery– he stopped walking.

Wait. What?!

He stopped, laughed at the confusion on my face, and took a step back into a kneel.

“Betty Catherine-Michelle Pompell, will you marry me?”

His voice was as steady as the warm look in his eyes.

I could barely believe it. I said “absolutely!” and wrapped my arms around him as he stood up from his position of holding out a breathtakingly gorgeous engagement ring. My heart raced as I squeezed him and over and over again, with varying inflections, I just said “Oh my word. Oh my word. OH. My. WORD. OH MY WORD!” He shushed me, laughed at me, kissed me, got the ring on my finger (which brought a whole slew of more “oh my words”) and escorted me back to the main street of the town.

My feet didn’t touch the ground, as I goofily smiled at passerby’s and continued with my steadfast breathless chorus of “oh my word”. He told me that we had a few minutes to make some phone calls, and that our dinner reservations were at 6:30. Calls to my dad and sister proved the sneakiness of both their responses and their knowledge of the life-changing event.

The remainder of our time in Florida was filled with many more sweet memories, and the first few lessons and joys of planning a wedding and a life together. I am so thankful for the gift of being with Nathaniel. Dating him was an ABSOLUTE joy, being his fiance is an ABSOLUTE delight, and I daily look forward to being his bride and his wife ❤ Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

“We Met Online”

I’m wonderfully in love.

I’m dating a man that is charmingly masculine, full of character, godly, gentle, quirky in the best sorts of ways, smart, and haaandsome!

I love talking about him and our compatibility and our relationship. I am very happy, and God is very good 🙂

However, I do feel like there is a little bit of a stigma when I mention to people that we met online. Maybe it’s just me-but I feel like there is an unsaid “weirdness” of this way of finding love.

I know I felt weird about signing up online late last year. It felt like “the last resort”. There were no men at my church, at work, in my friend group, or community-that caught my eye, and so I had to bite the bullet and go online. I heard that nearly 60% of relationships now start online, and since I believe God’s rule and authority touches even something like eHarmony, I gave it a shot!

AND I AM SO GLAD I DID!

I actually really liked online dating! It was a joy to be able to “refine” my search to men that are x,y, & z. The rejections I both handed out and received were easy to bear. And as someone who loves to communicate through written word, who is introspective, and a conversationalist-being known by someone through an online profile and subsequent dialogue wasn’t difficult.

My boyfriend and my communication is probably one of my favorite thing about our relationship. I feel magnificently understood and steadfastly pursued. I’m thankful for the foundation of communication and intentionality that meeting online aided us in establishing.

What about you? Thoughts on online dating? Experiences? Questions?

Much Love,

Betty

Feel Like Cheating On Him?

I was walking down Queen street in Downtown Lancaster last Friday after attending a conference for work. It was a perfect day for a stroll, and I did so with a bounce in my step in my cute blue dress and spunky flats. I passed a gathering of three edgy hipster friends-2 girls and a guy-all with tattoos and piercings. Just as I passed them the male in the squad said “Have an amazing day!” I stopped. Pivoted around to the group, pointed at him smiled, and said “You do the same.” and continued on my way. A few yards later I heard a voice behind me saying something I couldn’t make out. Then I heard “Beautiful!” and didn’t turn because HOW AWKWARD if it’s not to me, but then heard “Hey beautiful!” Another time, but this time closer and the sound of someone coming near. I turned. It was the well-wishing tattooed guy, and he said, “You got a boyfriend?”. The way my eyes lit up and my smile burst onto my face spoke for itself–but I reiterated with the words, “I sure do”. He said, “You feel like cheating on him?”

(PUKE)

I kept my smile bright and just said “No, I’m one of those people really into the whole “faithfulness” thing”.

Our interaction lasted maybe 45 seconds more, as he told me he found out his fiance had just cheated on him, and I tried my best to encourage him and bounce. Retrospectively, I wish I would’ve told him about Jesus-but I was so caught off guard by his request I was only looking for an escape.

It made me re-think a thought I’ve had many times over the last couple of year of my adult life:

Cheating is easy.

Now, that sounds weird. It even feels weird to type and to read. Cheating isn’t easy! I’ve never cheated on anyone before, it seems like it would require so much turmoil and difficulty. It sounds like it would eat away at your soul, and naw at your nerves. It sounds AWFUL and difficult.

Well yes, of course. But also, in this fallen world it will always be an option, an opportunity. That’s what I mean. I’m 27, and not that good looking. I mean-I’m pretty, but I ain’t no movie star or model. I’m pretty average looking. I’m kind and make an effort to be modest and try to be a woman obsessed with God, am dating-and still I have men “come onto me”. And I don’t know for sure-but probably there will always be men that show me attention. Always be men that tell me I’m pretty and encourage my smile. There will always be men that pull me in for a hug a little longer and a little closer. Who text me a little more often with a few more emojis. I’ll always have the option to be unfaithful. In thought or in deed. In small ways or in big ways.

This is a broken world–rampant with opportunities to sin. So we look to 1 Peter 5:8:

We know that Satan would love to destroy our ministries and reputations, and a slow fade in this area is one of his favorite tricks. We always have to be on guard: guard our hearts, our minds, and our actions. Always have to be above reproach, cautious, and staying far away from enjoying someone else’s attention or company more than our spouse’s. Faithfulness is a rare thing in our culture today, and we need to guard it like the precious jewel that it is.  Who cares if people get offended by our boundaries?? Be super alert and cautious now, so that we’re super alert and cautious 25 years from now as well: so that He is seen as BEAUTIFUL in our lives. ❤

Soli Deo Gloria!

Love,

Betty

 

 

What Dating Taught Me in 2016

I spent the majority of 2016 getting to know and then dating a strapping young man, and we broke up in early October. So when I reflect on the year–that relationship is a major part of the things that shaped it. Though breakups suck, I am thankful for the experience of dating this year, and have complied a few “takeaways” from the relationship (I blogged about the takeaways from the break up here!).

In no particular order, and this list is certainly not exhaustive, but dating in 2016 taught me:

1. That sometimes two awesome people, are not awesome together.
2. That dating someone super disciplined in being in the Word and in prayer, makes it a whole lot easier to listen to their leadership.
3. That becoming too physically affectionate stunts emotional & relational growth (it’s super easy to cuddle the night away, and it’s laborious to know one another–be willing to labor).
4. That if their definition of best friend is very different from your picture of a best friend-you’re probably going to struggle to be best friends.
5. That there is a beautiful, gospel centered way to respond to sin–and it brings freedom and a sense of safety.
6. That purity is SOOOOO WORTH IT. OH MY WORD. ESPECIALLY POST BREAK UP–THE HEALING PROCESS IS SO MUCH EASIER WHEN THAT INTIMACY ISN’T BURDENING YOUR MEMORY BANKS OR WEDGING ITSELF BETWEEN YOU AND GOD.
7. That I’m less trusting/more insecure than I thought I was.
8. That I love big and I love quickly-I need to slow down my heart–and pray for discernment.
9. That learning is a love language of mine.
10. That “thy will be done” is a prayer always answered perfectly ❤

One of my favorite quotes of all time is by A.W. Tozer, and says, “When I understand that everything happening to me is to make me more Christlike, it resolves a great deal of anxiety.” So when I think about getting to know, dating, and breaking up this year–I know it’s purpose in my life is to make me look more like Christ, and that is a wonderful, wonderful thing.

Oh, and here’s a little diddy I wrote when processing post-break up thoughts!

Guess we’re a Square Peg in a Round Hole,
It’s not you or me,
It’s us.

Yes we’re a square peg in a round hole.
It’s not you or me,
It’s us.

I get blinded by my own heart,
Love too big that I can’t see.
I get blinded by my own joy.
I’m not for you, you’re not for me.

I know I tend to try, try, try, to be all I long to be.
I get in my mind,
convince myself it’s fine.
Love can be so blind.

Though there was so much that was so good,
we long for and offer different things.
Though there was so much that was so good,
It’s best to wait for what God brings.

Because we’re a square peg in a round hole.
It’s not you or me-
It’s us.

 

A Peek Into My Dating Life

I have had the joy of dating an awesome stud for the last 4 months or so. As I have wrote about before, I think dating can be difficult. I’ve learned a lot from mistakes in the past, and though not perfect, this dating relationship has been so peace-saturated and God honoring.

What is making it that way? 

Well I’m glad you asked, because I’ve thought of 3 primary reasons why dating has been such a blessing. 

1. We want God’s will more than we want each other.
   • I’m a stubborn women. I think I know what is best for me. But I’ve learned the hard way that many times, I don’t actually have a clue. I’ve learned to pray with a sincere heart, “Thy will be done”. My boyfriend and I realize that God is sovereign and has a plan for both of our lives. He has a spouse for each of us who will best sanctify and love us, and if that is one another -praise the Lord! But if that is someone else-then that is what we want for each other. Because we know our Father knows BEST, and we can trust Him with our future.
2. We concentrate on the 3 H’s.
   • In my phone, my boyfriend’s middle name is  “HHH”. Those three h’s in the middle stand for Happiness, Holiness, and Humor. Those are the three things we decided we wanted our dating relationship to be all about. Those are the three things we want to infuse into each other’s lives. If God keeps us together-what a great foundation for the future! And if God moves us apart-what great things to have added into our lives even for just a season!
3. We’re serious about purity.
   • Mark my words, one day, I will write a book about this. But for now, I’ll just say that this victory has been one of sweetest blessings of my life. For those of you, like me, who have fought and lost battles with purity in the past, the joy that comes in honoring God in this way far outweighs any joys that came from the worldly pleasures of not honoring Him. And it definitely changes a relationship!

Dating this guy blesses me in other ways too. From feeling like (somehow!) I am the most beautiful girl on the planet, to being able to trust his character, leadership, and wisdom in taking things slow-to morning deliveries of bacon and roses-I’m super thankful to be his girlfriend-for however long God sees fit. And since God’s word tells me that “every good and perfect gift comes from our Father above”(James 1:17)- I know that my response to this needs to be praise and worship! God is the giver of this good gift-and it causes me to gush over, not my boyfriend but, the Good Giver.

But I can’t write this without also saying that all of this is not always easy. It doesn’t come NATURALLY. Numbers 1,2, and 3 go against my human nature in so many ways! There are days I’m frustrated, and days I struggle to remember that God’s will is best. There are days I want to concentrate only on my happiness-and not his happiness and certainly not either of our holinesses. There are moments I don’t want to be serious about purity and moments I complain to God about gifts I think I deserve that I don’t have instead of thanking Him for the ones I do have. That’s why being in prayer and in the Word is so important. I can’t date well on my own! I need to be dependent on God!

So although it’s not always easy-dating is a blessing. Whether we’re together for 6 more months, or 60 more years-it doesn’t matter. God knows best and He is trustworthy! Our Father will lead in His perfect way in His perfect timing. Man, being a Christian is the best! We know that ALL things work together for our good (Rom. 8:28). So we depend on God and date in peace, joy, and confidence-knowing that everything is (and will be) exactly as it should be!