“Oh, sing to the Lord a NEW song! For He has done marvelous things…” Psalm 98:1
This is the verse that I read the next day. I kept reading it over and over trying to let it sink into my very distracted brain 🙂 I just felt like there was something I was supposed to see and then the word “new” kept jumping out at me. Because that is exactly what the Lord was doing to my heart! Not that I didn’t have reasons to sing before…that wasn’t it. But it truly felt like God was teaching my heart a brand NEW song to sing. It was like God was melting away the hard shell that I had built around my heart to protect me from being discontent with being a widow and single mom. God, in His love and mercy was melting that shell and awakening something wonderful and it wasn’t the same song, second verse…oh no! It was a brand new song! And that knowledge helped explain the weird almost burning sensation I had been feeling in my chest over the past few days. Because when Josiah died I felt an actual physical pain in my chest that made it hard to breathe sometimes, so why wouldn’t I feel something when God was completing His healing and bringing new life in such an amazing way?
So, D and I started dating! We talked for hours and hours and hours and hours about pretty much everything. We found that we agreed on most things. And God started knitting our hearts together. It didn’t take long before we realized that we cared for each other deeply…that we loved each other and that God was leading our lives to becoming one.
So…a few weeks ago after we had been dating for a while, D and I were out on a date and he took me back to the place where our relationship started…the coffee shop where we met that first time. And D took me over to a tree nearby and told me a story that I had not heard. He reminded me of our texting “conversation” before we had that first meeting when he told me that he wanted to have a date with me. Well, unbeknownst to me, he had been standing under that very tree that night. He talked about how he had asked me a question that night we had been texting (when he asked me if I wanted him to stop communication and give me time to think and pray) and it was a difficult question to ask but that he had felt at peace with asking it because he fully trusted that God was in control…and now he needed to ask me a different question…and he got on one knee in the snow and mud and asked me to marry him and become his wife! I said something super romantic like “are you messing with me?” and then I said “Yes!”…and then I couldn’t remember if I had said yes so I said it again 🙂 My eyes teared up a little but mostly I just couldn’t stop giggling! It was like God had wiped away my tears and replaced them with a bubbling joy that I could not contain!
So, we are engaged 🙂
and planning a wedding for the spring 🙂 And that is where I’m going to end this series because I think I’m up to date now. But it’s not the end of the story…oh no! Lord willing, it’s only the beginning!
Now…it’s finally time to reveal the true identity of the mysterious “D”.
His name is Dustin and I am beyond thankful to God for bringing him into my life! He loves the Lord first and foremost. He’s sweet, and funny. He’s a talker and a great listener. He pays attention to detail and reads people really well. He has two beautiful daughters and is a very fun Daddy 🙂 He challenges me. He’s not afraid of criticism or correction. He has an amazing story of God’s grace in his life. His honesty is refreshing. And he loves me…like a lot 🙂
I’m SO blessed!
**I’m enjoying all your comments and encouragement so much! Thank you! While I understand you may have questions please understand two things, I may not have time to answer all of them and also, I have not shared every detail of our story for a reason and I trust you can respect my privacy and right to do that. Most of all, I want to bring honor to my King in what I write…after all, our story comes from Him!
Beautiful Things 
Yay! Great story! Praise be to God 🙂 Enjoy your new beginnings and restored happiness. You both are so deserving after all you have tackled while still holding tight to God. Yay again!
What?!!!!________(insert face of no words here) hahaha nice!!!!! Congrats Congrats Congrats!!!!!! you have a serious bling bling in that cute hand of yours. I can’t wait for a real royal wedding! (since we r the sons and daughers of a King) ahhhh! thank you for the story. Just dont do the cliff hangers again 😉 u where killing me! JK
🙂 absolutely beautiful. 🙂
I’m loving reading the story Jess! Congratulations:) We are so happy for the both of you. Thanks for sharing:)
What a beautiful story! Thank you again for sharing your heart. I will continue to pray for you both as you blend your families together. God Bless You both!
Oh I love how the Lord works! I’m so happy for you guys!
Truly a “God-thing”. Praying for you all!
Your story should be made into a movie for the Hallmark channel. Enjoyed every part of it. Congrat Jessica, we are all so happy for you:)
I am so happy for you both & know that God has had the perfect plan for you both individually and now together. Thank you for your six-part story as I looked forward to each segment. Your pages answered all of my questions on how you got together and I thank you for that. Your courage and strength over the years has been an inspiration to me and now I look forward to sharing your joys & trials through your blog over the next years. I pray that your faith & trust in the Lord continues to shine through your writing and through your new family. You have been in my prayers & will continue to be as you begin the new book of J & D.
p.s. I believe your story would make a great Hallmark movie also.
Jessica,
I am so happy for you! I have enjoyed reading your story and how God worked through everything. I loved seeing how God began to weave this story long before you knew anything that was going on. He has a way of turning our sorrows into joy. One of my favorite verses after Jared passed away became Job 8:21, He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy. He has done that for me and also for you! How exciting, congratulations to you both!
Congratulations, sweet Jessica! If anyone deserves a fairytale, its YOU! You look completely different btw, you have grown and mature into a beautiful, happy and joyous woman. You were always so so cute, but now you shine both inside and out, and I can tell just by looking at the pictures. Thank you for sharing your story here and letting us in on this most amazing thrilling story, its one we will all be speaking of to our friends and families, its such a God-story, and gives us all renewed faith in Him. You are a rock and a source of strength to so many. I know your life is going to be filled to the brim every day!
So very happy for you both. Congratulations! God is so very good!
Becky
So happy for you and Dustin!! Congratulations!!
I am so happy for you both and know that God has wonderful plans for you both and for the children.
I have been following your blog since a few months before Josiah passed away. I have prayed for you all but never written. I am soooooo happy for you and your families! while i understand that many people may think that all of this is “too fast” or “too soon” I fully trust that the Lord and only the Lord knows what is best for ALL people. If only all people could fully put all trust in the Lord and his plan our world would be a much more wonderful place. I will countinue to pray for you all as you start this new chapter in your lives. I cant wait to see what God has planned for you all!
Merry Christmas,
Jenni
So very happy for you Jessica and Dustin!
I’ve never commented before though I’ve been following your posts for 2 years now. (I’m friends with one of your WI cousins, and I remember so clearly we happened to meet up in our local grocery store doing some last minute Christmas shopping 2 yrs ago, and me asking her about Josiah, and hearing he was getting worse… my heart just sank). Your writings and experiences have caused so much deep thought in my heart in regards to appreciating every. single. moment. the Lord gives me with my dear husband, and also caused us to have some serious talks about what we would do in the event that one of us went through the loss you’ve experienced. Any how, at night, as I pray for my own little ones, especially their salvation, I’ve often prayed for Ava and Lincoln. You of course were so often in my prayers too, and not just at night. When I saw a few references to Dustins’ situtation around the time of Becca’s death, I began to pray for him and his girls, and couldn’t help but wonder in the back of my mind if the Lord didn’t have more in store for all of you… I’m so so happy to hear of your engagement to him! All the best to you both, and may you continue to enjoy His peace and guidance in the big and little events of your life!
Praise the Lord for His faithfulness and absolute goodness! Rejoicing with you!
Oh Jessica, what a BEAUTIFUL, God-written love story! I could not be happier for you two! Thank you so much for sharing your story! May God continue to bless you both as you begin this new life and journey together! 🙂 Yay!
Jessica, blessings to both of you, I have been amazed by your ability to weave God’s love and faithfulness in to every part of your life over the past two years. You have been an inspiration and humbling to me. You are an amazing woman of God and a blessings to many. Thanks for sharing in humility and faith.
Allison
hey girl! I hope you had a great Christmas and a wonderful new year with the Kiddos and your new fiance.
what a love story… what a TESTIMONY to God’s astounding ability to see the BIG PICTURE. Even when hope seems to have vanished within despair, God knows… God knows that there is SO much more to it and that there is more love to be grown and enjoyed and cherished. Thank you God for that grace, that love, that PROMISE… God bless you both, and your children!
I’ve never met you but have been following your blog off and on for the last couple of years and have been praying for you too. It’s been a while since I “checked in” on your blog but God laid you on my heart recently so I decided to look it up again. I am so thrilled to see that God is working such an amazing story through you that points only to His mercy and grace. Thank you for sharing and I will continue to pray as I know the road ahead will not be without bumps. But thankfully we have a great God who carries us through.