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GailFriends – The Matchmaker
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GailFriends – The MatchmakerBy Gail Golden
Publicist and Ministry Partner - Pocket Full of Change Ministries
Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. Psalm 37:37
In our congregation, we are blessed to have a lovely couple in their 80’s who are newlyweds. Dave and Alice, married less than a year, are like two teenagers in love, holding hands, snuggling, and making eyes at each other. Betty, another of our members tied the knot earlier this year at the age of 71! It just goes to show you, it’s never too late to fall in love.
At Betty’s recent lingerie shower, (yes, I said lingerie!) I noticed how like a fresh rosebud she looked. The joy in her heart set her eyes and cheeks aglow. Blushing, she softly told us, “Now I know what it means to have a cup overflowing with joy.”
I couldn’t help but marvel at the faith it takes to make such a choice at her age. She has no fear, like so many women her age express. I’ve heard more than one older woman say, “I don’t want to be a purse or a nurse.” I’m just glad Betty is courageous enough to enjoy what is beautiful. And because I found my own true love three years ago at the age of 56, I can understand her desire not to beat around the bushes!
As I watched Betty open her gifts at the shower I thought, she doesn’t know how bad it could be. How wonderful that she doesn’t know. A widow for 14 years, she remembers the happiness of life with her former husband. She anticipates the same with her new one. Because she knows what a good man acts like, it is easy for her to recognize those traits.
Not so with me. After two marriages and two divorces, I gave up. I compared marriage to having your teeth drilled without Novocain. I began an in depth search for wisdom. I studied the Proverbs and the book of Ruth in the Bible and I discovered the character traits of a godly man. Boaz was the man God brought to Ruth. The book details Boaz’s kindness, integrity, protection, wisdom, and commitment to God. He was definitely the role model for a godly husband….not that I was looking, mind you!
I didn’t date. I claimed Yeshua (Jesus) as my husband. I stayed close to Him. I read His Words to me. I listened to His voice. Over time (10 years) my relationship with Him grew so sweet. He was everything I ever wanted in a husband. He was tender, soft-spoken, kind, loving, protective, and attentive to my needs. He was, and is, my Beloved…my Friend.
When Rabbi Jem came back into my life, I recognized him as a godly man by his words and actions. He even spoke volumes by the things he didn’t say and do. My love grew out of a deep respect and a tender friendship. Like Ruth in the Bible, I sought God’s guidance and followed His instructions before moving ahead. When Rabbi Jem asked me to marry him, I sought counsel of My Beloved, and also of my friends. I married him without any reservations. I knew God brought us together, just as He’d brought Ruth and Boaz together.
The success I found by following God’s instructions during those ten years of close relationship with Yeshua prepared me for the role as a rabbi’s wife. I cling to God’s book of instructions. Where I viewed them as restrictive in the past, I know see them as precious, loving guidance from a Father who loves His children. The words are just as relevant today as they were in the days of Ruth. The Bible will even help a woman find a Boaz -a man who will be a good husband. Who knew God was a matchmaker?
Gail Golden is a ministry partner with and the Publicist for Pocket Full of Change Ministries. For more information to schedule a speaker for an event go to www.pocketfullofchange.org or call Gail Golden at 904 316-5462.
© Pocket Full of Change Ministries
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