By Reah Padla

Every time I look at my son Noah, I remember the love that I share with his Daddy Joshua, my husband. I still can’t believe that it’s been two years since we got married on that rainy day in January 2008. Oh how time flies!

God has blessed us with a baby. I believe that he is a reward from the Lord, a blessing that we are responsible for.  But I’m not writing about parenthood because I am only touching the tip of the iceberg that is being a mom. I just want to say that the baby is a great reward for waiting on God and for the one, my one true love.

True Love Waits. Those three words stuck with me ever since I attended a TLW (True Love Waits) seminar almost a decade ago. It was more than just a reminder to the youth to say “No to Pre-Marital Sex”.  It was an event that made me think about my future – my future mate, my kids and God’s faithfulness to me.

True Love Waits. I remember my batch-mates in CROSSLinC attending the seminar right here in ICS. A lot of us signed pledge cards to commit to purity. I waited. Sadly, some didn’t. I wonder how many of those who made a commitment became true to their words.

True Love Waits. I would always tell my friends about the importance of not rushing into relationships. Desipte that, however, I have a lot of friends who made the mistake of going into many relationships, to their disappointment. I asked God for grace to be different. I set my standards in looking for a man higher because I know God wanted it that way.

True Love Waits. I didn’t want my heart broken many times over because I knew that, whoever God had destined to be my husband, he deserved to receive it whole. I knew I could learn from the mistakes of others and that I didn’t have to try them for myself. I didn’t have to search and wait long enough because he was just right in front of me. I just needed for him to make the first move.

True Love Waits. Even if I knew I had found the one for me, I waited on God. It took us three years to nurture our friendship before our relationship became “official.” While it took others only a few days or a few weeks, it took us years. Why? Because we believed (and we still do) that a good foundation for a strong, long-lasting romantic relationship is a deep, authentic and cherished friendship. We placed God in the center of our relationship.

True Love Waits. It took a lot of courage before I said the words “I Love You”. There were many times when I wanted to say those words to Joshua but I didn’t because I knew the right time, God’s time, had not yet come. Every time I decided to finally say those “magic” words, God would seem to providentially not allow us to see each other. It may sound unbelievable but there was even one time when I believed God blinded both of us. We were at the same place at the same time but we weren’t able to meet. It was the time when I really wanted to tell him but, somehow, I felt God urging me, “It’s not yet time.”

True Love Waits. When we finally became “us”, we took it very slow. We knew we’d always end up together but we had to slow things down and not act as a “lovey-dovey” couple. I could not understand before when my dad wouldn’t allow me to join his family on an out-of-town vacation trip. Nonetheless, I obeyed and only later began to understand my dad’s reasons, especially when I became a parent myself.

True Love Waits. Josh and I waited. We committed ourselves to purity because we knew that we deserved the best. God wanted us to enjoy His gift only within the bounds of marriage. So we listed down rules. We obeyed our families. The farthest place we’ve been to together was Tagaytay and we even had the family driver with us. We made a promise to wait for each other and not let God, our parents, our families, and our church down.

True Love Waits. After almost three years, he proposed. Three months later, we married. Within those short months of preparation, we could have easily given in into temptation because, after all, we were getting married. But we didn’t.

True Love Waits. A few months into the marriage, there were talks of having a baby. We felt we weren’t ready yet so we waited some more. When we finally decided, the waiting become longer. The desire to have a baby was stronger than ever. Little did we know that God had already blessed my womb.

True Love Waits. We waited for Noah for almost ten months. 2009 was one long but fulfilling year for me. Waiting for my little love at the labor room was truly worth it. Now, I look at our baby and I see how wonderful it is to wait on your one true love and how it is best if you preserve yourself for your future children.

True Love Waits. I always believed that it is never too early to prepare for one’s future. I was just a young girl when I decided to preserve myself and commit to purity because God wanted it. I deserved the best, my family deserved not be shamed, my future mate deserved a whole me, and my future kids deserved all the love and the right to live in a healthy environment. I made a decision. I made a commitment. I waited.

True Love Waits. The waiting part was difficult but I thank the Lord for His amazing grace. We couldn’t have done it on our own. It is only by God’s grace that we were able to resist temptation and wait on Him.

True Love Waits. It’s true. One doesn’t need to fall in love many times and get hurt over and over again. Waiting for “the one” by following The One always brings about blessings. It is my prayer that our young people also experience God in their relationships.

True Love Waits. This is more than just preserving one’s virginity. It is a commitment to a life of purity as the Lord wills it.?? God is the Greatest Author of Love Stories. Allow Him to write yours.

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Four Sundays of February, the youth of ICS will be talking about True Love Waits. We’re now on our second week and we are happy with the response. We at CROSSLinC believe that parents should take a big part in the future of their children. So parents, we encourage you to bring your high school and college sons and daughters to join this seminar. If you want them to learn about love and sex from a wholesome, positive and meaningful Christian perspective, then have them join the youth of ICS.